Where Rainbows End
by Angel Descendant
Summary: Haru and Gokudera fall in a love that will undoubtedly make them descend to despair's utter depths. Past, Present, and Future. Time and Space. Friendship and Family. Loyalty and Rebellion. The rainbow must end. Post-Apocalyptic/Deadman Wonderland-esque AU. Dark fic. Rated M for mature themes. 5986. Complete.
1. Where Rainbows End

**Supposed to be my Contest Entry however, due to being disorienting, long and not fluffy, I had no choice but to do this. It'll be a multi-fic.**

**Setting:**

_**5% - Flames immune**_

_**30% - Flames unlucky**_

_**65%- Dead**_

_**Warning: Gore and Extreme Violence. I am not kidding.**_

* * *

><p>"<strong>Where Rainbows End"<strong>

_-Burn the Ghosts we've carried home-_

_**~X~**_

_What little things they are. What Big Damage they conceive._

**Present-**

"You're invading my space."

The bedraggled girl didn't seem to notice the guy who was now walking up to her, a small pocketbook in one hand and a look of disgust in both eyes.

"Hey," his feet found her arm splayed on the white floor with eyes refusing to open. "If you don't fucking get out I'll kill you."

She didn't answer. Her hunched figure continued its wispy daze, head on knees, and hands on the floor as she lolled to the side, still unreachable.

The guy's green eyes examined the intruder closely.

"Drugged. Looks like you put up a fight to be put here with me."

She didn't reply to confirm his suspicions. He sighed and then turned his heel to leave her.

"If you don't hurry the poison from the bracelet might get you," he waves as he proceeded to the door. "If you die I don't honestly give a damn."

There was still no reply. He frowned. '_This girl's gone'. _He thought as he tried stealing a glance. '_The poison's potent enough to take effect within a day if the victim doesn't take the antidote.'_

"Is this... the Crimson Castle?"

The girl, eyes red and puffy greeted him. He hid the surprise earlier. He then noticed the empty vial beside her, making him deduce that he probably heeded his warning.

"Why? Not the fairytale you imagined?" he mocked, kicking the rock bed beside him. Those guards thought they could dispose this girl through him, eh?

"I don't care. Are you... an inhabitant?" she asks. Her body looked weak. Her voice was tiny and pitchy.

"More like a prisoner," he snorts back. It was the first time in two years since he talked to a girl. He had forgotten how to talk properly.

"Then you know a friend of mine here?"

"If you don't tell me the name, how would I know?"

She has to take hold from the wall lamp to stand. There was now a big grin splayed on her face as she eyed him happily.

"Her name's Sasagawa Kyoko. She was taken as a prisoner for three years now. Do you know her?"

The guy eyed her quizzically. He was bad at remembering names. The friend this girl had was no exception.

"No it doesn't ring a bell," he shrugged as he then plopped himself on his white stone bed. The girl had a bed opposite her. She'd probably just lie there later. He grunted as he continued reading. She had already taken the antidote. She should be fine for another twenty-four hours anyway. He looked at his right, and saw the silver harmless-looking tech-bracelet glinting in his right arm. He didn't have to worry about the poison for the week.

He sifts his hair as he then peered at the girl. She was wearing the rags the female prisoners wore. Her long hair was in disarray as it fell to her shoulders. She seemed to have stopped crying (otherwise, he would have choked her for ruining his peace) and was now eyeing the bracelet too. Her hand then touched the dewdrop pearl earring on her right.

"Where's the other one?" he growled when she met his gaze.

"Kyoko-chan gave it to me," she smiled. "If I see her, then I can probably return this to her."

Gokudera growled. "Just make sure you survive. The poison will take effect after a day. You need to get an antidote soon. Check the ruck-sack they gave you. You see the notice stamped with the Dying-Will Flame?"

"The Dyeing-what?"

"The one with a fire on top." _God this woman is so stupid._

"Umm, yes I see."

"That's the Flame Charade. The prize is an antidote."

"Oh... look. Here's my name."

"Then you'll be participating tomorrow," he said curtly and resumed reading his book.

"Why are you nice to me, telling me all of this?" she asked aloud.

Gokudera ignored her and flipped the page.

"Because you're an idiot and as far as I know, idiots don't stop yapping here," he grunted.

Idiots... himself included.

_**-X-**_

_**Future?**_

"It's been three years," Haru inhales as she looks around. The place seems almost alien to her now. She looks up. The castle seems such a small, insignificant object now compared to when they spent their days there. This is probably the effect Liberty has.

"Five for me," her companion interjects as he also steps into the virid grass for the third time. His lips once more curl up into a frown. He had been used to having that expression since the moment he had lived within that citadel's walls. He checks the world he was in. He couldn't seem to believe that this place was really the place where his Heaven ended.

"You're noisy!"

"Well look who's talking," Gokudera snorts sarcastically. He then walks faster. The sky wasn't the color of flame nor cloud. It was a vivid blue. He gazed at everything again. The color of green blinded his eyes.

"Just let me finish!" Haru pouts. "It _has _been a long time and look, there are plants again and pretty butterflies _(Gokudera rolls his eyes)_. Haven't seen this color in like, twenty years?"

He doesn't need to argue. They _were_ the same age after all.

She grins. "The earth's thriving again. Isn't it great, Gokudera-san?" she twirls around and smells the sweet scent of the small rosemaries on her feet. "The Arcobaleno were probably right to enforce that rule."

Gokudera sneers. "And yet people continue to die with that damn virus. _That's_ _comforting_ to know."

"Stop being sarcastic Gokudera-san!" Haru scolds him, pacing up to him and then kicking him, only to have Gokudera backtracking and avoiding the blow. "Aren't you happy seeing a new world again?"

"All I'm happy about is being free from that hell-hole," he sighs and stares at the sky grimly.

"You think this place is heaven then?"

"Idiot. There's no heaven on earth," he grunts as he turns and walks forward. Greenery continues to welcome them.

Haru beams. "Then we'll make one," she runs after Gokudera, her feet seemingly floating from delight as beauty personifies itself through Mother Nature. "Once we start a new life here…"

"Who said we'll begin a new life here?"

"Not here as in here _here_, Mister Common Sense," she facepalms. "I meant here as in a clan. You have a clan to go to?"

Gokudera's eyes sombers. "I was the last one to survive."

Haru stops and smiles. "I forgot about that. Then you wanna join mine?"

Gokudera snaps out from his melancholy remembrance and shrugs.

Both continue to walk.

"Will they… accept me?" he then wonders out loud.

A moment. Just one beat.

She stops and then warmly grins. "They will see that I love you. They'll accept that," her hand clasps his tightly and yet gently at the same time.

His frown wanes and he smiles too, albeit tiredly. "They won't. Definitely. They won't see it from you or from me."

Haru doesn't reply as the memory comes back to her.

_**-X-**_

_**-Past.**_

"You can see it, right?"

"Ooh.. right after the rain. It's as pretty as always."

The rhythmic plic-ing of the rain was steady. It sure had taken a long while before the clouds had become grey again. Once more, like the two weeks of drought, the sky will be clear and become an empty azure sea.

But the sky wouldn't be alone for now.

Because another element will be coming into play- rains always had bows, right?

It was a breathtaking sight, after the grey and arched on the glorious blue sky an opalescent array of colors to signal the end of a storm.

A rainbow would be seen. Many thought of it as a symbol of Nature's beauty.

But to the two friends, it symbolized the nonexistent thing called Hope.

It was nonexistent now- almost. The sky was beautiful but the earth wasn't.

"We're pretty lucky, aren't we Kyoko?" The girl on the left of their plush sofa bed smiled at her friend, her eyes locked on the iridescent being above them, hovering on their roof- the glass dome of an infrastructure that was known as a mall back. "We're still able to see that again and again day by day."

"We just have so many nice people. The clan here was just kind enough to let us join them. They even let us have this room all to ourselves," her friend, Kyoko replied with her hand aloft and to where perched what to be a yellow bird.

"Yeah. They even let us use this home depot store as our quarters. Words just aren't enough to thank them, right Hibird?"

The little puffball in Kyoko's dainty finger merely emitted a short chirp. It was Kyoko's pet, and named because of the bird before had the inability to say anything except 'hi'.

"Not like our last clan. They didn't even give a damn when... when Ryohei-san disappeared," she added bitterly as she rested her head on the pillow a little forcefully as she watched the rainbow shine brighter and brighter.

"There's no point in thinking about them. It's just... It's because Ryohei broke the one and only rule here."

"That's a stupid rule to begin with!"

"Our planet's dead. More than half of the human populace are gone, including our moms and dads."

"But for people to disappear when they kill ANY KIND OF LIVING THING I-!"

"This is for our own good Haru. For the world to thrive again- I know it's a slow process but-"

"Don't you care that your brother is gone then?"

Kyoko didn't answer back. Silently, she let the bird go and stared at the rainbow. There it was, the thing in the rainbow that they were looking at- the source of their hopes and dreams... their beacon that helped them survive the Apocalypse that wiped sixty-five per cent of the population, including plant and animal life.

The Crimson Castle.

"If I didn't care, then I would've killed myself long ago," she retorted finally. "I then would've just lost my mind and would have let my disease take over. But I have a gut feeling he's still here. And if I go there, then I would find some answers," her throbbing finger pointed at the castle.

"And you think I'll let you go alone, Kyoko?" Haru whispered, as she looked at her now. "I know- you sound pret-ty crazy but hey- if we're not in this together, then why the hell am I still living?" She then grabbed Kyoko's hand and gripped it tightly.

"One day, we'll definitely go there," Haru assured Kyoko.

Kyoko smiled sadly. "I just hope that when we go there, it won't be too late."

_**-X-**_

**Present-**

"She wanted to see her brother. It was often what she'd say. But I can't blame her. Ryohei-san was always the one we'd depend on when we were kids and alone."

"You don't ever stop babbling, don't you?" commented Gokudera irritably as he rolled for the umpteenth time on his bed, tossing the blanket down the floor again.

"Does it bother you?" she said alarmingly.

"You are obviously ignorant," he sighed and resumed the chapter where he left off.

"I-I'm sorry!" she stood up and bowed apologetically.

"Che. Shut up."

Dammit, he forgot what chapter he was reading! _Stupid girl, ruining my day... _

"You broke the rule too, Silver-san?"

"I have a name," he snapped.

"Eh- then what-?"

"..It's Gokudera."

"Umm... then Gokudera-san..." she hesitated. "Well, my name is Miura Haru. But you can call me Haru if you want."

"I'd rather call you 'idiot'."

"E-eh but that's mean!"

"You were supposed to ask me something, right? Then shoot," he said, his patience continuing to lessen with each ticking second. This was why he hated girls. They stray off the topic often with their petty worries.

"Y-you killed someone too? That's why you're here?" She asked, her voice tremulous. She had after all, never had a real conversation with a guy before. Much more, with a guy like him that reminded her of a bomb that might detonate any minute now.

The guy stood up and Haru shielded her face in case he tries to harm her (not that she can do anything about it).

"Hahi! D-don't-" she tries to scream.

"Damn. This is why I hate girls. They're so noisy." he mutters as he sticks a finger to his ear and carelessly plunges his hand to her mouth.

He doesn't need another moment more to look into her eyes and let his emerald ones flicker with hers.

He sneers. "It's better if you only know I've never killed anyone before this all." With that, he wipes his saliva-stained hand in disgust with her sleeve. After, he walks back to his bed to finish his chapter for that night.

Haru looks on, unable to digest his words.

But she smiles.

"We're not the same, are we Gokudera-san?"

_**~X~**_

_**-Past.**_

"You're always wearing the same accessories, Kyoko-chan."

Kyoko beamed when she pointed at the dewdrop earrings she was wearing. Hibird snuggled closer to her shoulder. "Onii-chan gave them to me. If we see each other again and if he sees me without this, won't he get a little mad?"

Haru shrugged back and stared at her reflection in the mirror. The jewellery she had wasn't the same as from an hour ago. So was her dress now. The free things they get to have in their new clan... maybe she was abusing it a little?

"You miss him very much, Kyoko-chan?" she asked, grinning a little as she sat on the red velvet sofa beside her friend.

Kyoko tittered. "A little. But Haru-chan... if you weren't here... I would've died a long time ago."

Haru met her gaze. Her mouth was open.

It was then when she noticed that her Kyoko-chan looked less like the Kyoko-chan she knew. She looked older- much, much older than the nineteen-year-old-Kyoko-chan she was supposed to know. Her face was more mature. Her height was awkwardly different. Much more, she looked more like the girl who had reached her mid-twenties now. And her age continued to clock faster.

"You could've died from your virus, am I right?" she murmured. Kyoko grins and nods as she turned her head towards the body mirror.

"Almost. I just... I couldn't stand seeing myself grow old quickly and die. But somehow, with you I was able to see that I can accept my fate. It's pretty confusing to explain, sorry."

Just as Haru was about to hug her friend, the door then opened, and an old man, whose gray beard was visible underneath the bandages peeked inside.

"Greetings. I am Coyote Nougat, adviser of the Clan Boss Timoteo. There is the annual clan meeting that will start in five minutes at the supermarket in the ground floor. It's obligatory for you to attend," he says in a mechanically strange and guttural voice before closing the door.

"I guess we ought to go then?" Kyoko whispered, tugging onto Haru who stopped daydreaming immediately.

"That person... you know the virus he is suffering from?"

"Eh?"

"It's the Storm. His body's in the state of decay. Even his vocal chords are almost gone."

"And what, Haru-chan?"

"He's lucky to have lived that long, despite suffering from it. Kyoko-chan, is there any other way for you to live longer?"

Kyoko paused and looked at Haru. Her face was stained in tears. She seemed to be crying for quite a while now without her noticing.

"You worry too much," she said as she patted Haru's head, her smile getting smaller and smaller. "I'll be able to live until we see the next Rainbow. I promise."

Haru feigned assurance once they stepped out of the door and went to their destination.

_**~X~**_

All of the members (and there were hundreds of them) were already seated in their wooden stools. Being late, the two girls were forced to make themselves comfortable in the back. Luckily, the sheet for the projector was big enough for them to see though. So there was nothing to worry at all.

"Can anyone hear me?" boomed the leader's voice far in the front. The two didn't need to crane their necks to understand him. They managed to get a view of Timoteo along with his supporters standing in the front. From one of the six people at the back was a twitchy Coyote Nougat.

The clan cheered back. Haru found them to be a little too forced.

"Good. Almost everyone here must know why they will attend our clan meeting. Except for our two newcomers, that is," he waved at their direction. Stupefied at how he managed to see them from the throngs of people, they waved back less earnestly.

Haru, after greeting Timoteo looked around as she absent-mindedly stroke Hibird. The place had become very much like a ghost town. Everyone was holding his breath. It was probably because they give their full attention to the boss.

She was soon able to correct herself.

"Every year or more, we have to collect ourselves and ask, 'From where do we get our blessings? Why are we different from the other starving clans? Why are we so lucky?' The answer is simple: It's because of the gifts the Crimson Castle bestows upon us."

Haru and Kyoko looked at each other. This person knows about the castle?

"I can still remember when in the early days of our clan fifteen years ago, I had to do the sins of sins tabooed in this world."

Haru looked at the crowd. All of them were still. To her right, someone was clasping a beaded necklace tightly while muttering a few words under her breath. In front of her, a man had his head bowed, and she can make out a few words from his whispers about 'please', 'help us', 'save' and other whatnot. She craned her neck a little to the side. All of them were doing the same thing.

They were... praying.

But why?

"And then I managed to see just what kind of punishment awaited me- and that was within the Castle walls. But I gave it my all. I never faltered, despite the virus of mine being enough to destroy me fully. And in the end, I was cured because of it. I was the first person to ever survived the horrors after two years. Then I asked myself as I led my clan forward, 'Can I help cure others the same as myself?'."

Somehow, Haru couldn't figure out why the hairs in the nape of her neck were standing up. This was eventful, right? He had found a way to help people and possibly cure them, what can't she be happy about.

A small box was being catered to the front. Timoteo smiled expectantly.

"Then I realized that I can! Not only can I help that poor soul, but also fill the bellies of many. I can give them their whims. I can clothe them with the garments they have lost. I can make them see that what happened... the plague... they were something for them not to worry about now. Because Paradise_ can_ be attained on this world."

His hand rises above the box excitedly. From Haru's left the woman gasps, her mutterings becoming louder and louder. Others buzzed... almost in fear. Kyoko whispers that she couldn't understand what the hell was going on.

"And sacrifices have to be made," he says simply as he plunges his hand through the box and fishes out a piece of folded white paper. "Because only if we give, do we receive." He then opens the paper slowly, patiently and perhaps... fearfully? "Am I right... Sasagawa Kyoko?"

Haru was unable to digest the words. Everyone froze and looked around, wondering who that girl might be. After several seconds, their eyes landed on the twosome. The woman beside Haru doused water in their heads while muttering something about safety and salvation.

Even Kyoko was stunned. _What the hell was going on?_ She seemed to say to herself as Timoteo beckoned her forward in a gentle, fatherly way. She looked at Haru.

And she... cried in her arms. Haru looked at her, still in a state of shock and confusion of the events happening. She still couldn't understand, as Kyoko unpinned an earring and put it on Haru's ear. She still couldn't understand, as she whispered about not being able to keep her promise in seeing the Rainbow with her again.

She must've guessed what was going to happen to her.

"Don't be shy, dear one," the leader said benevolently as he beckoned her closer. She squeezes Haru's hand assuringly before going forward to the podium.

"Be happy here," she whispered to her. Haru didn't reply back.

"Basilicum, come forward." Timoteo orders and from the side of the stage, a boy probably their age walked confidently and bowed to Kyoko before facing the crowd with unwavering blue eyes.

"Like two years ago, it is time for our ritual to commence," he said as he took something from his coat and handed it to Kyoko who was shaking from head to foot. "For one soul, we can save hundreds."

Haru eyed the object. It was a small pistol.

Kyoko was now having constrictions as Basil paced forward, his posture straight and eyes looking straight at her own, with the gun now being handled by Timoteo in her hands as her fingers curl through the trigger.

"Now-" he says softly, and Haru had to move forward to hear. The crowd was unable to watch. The Basilicum boy was brave as ever. "Shoot."

The gunshot and the scream was enough to make Haru lose her senses.

_**~X~**_

**Present-**

"They aren't going to give us any food?"

It was already morning, and she had managed to fall asleep while sitting by the window to the world below.

He doesn't reply as his long index finger produced scarlet flames. It singed the wooden and heavily-furnished walls as it made its way between their beds and until it reached the end of both walls, lining their room territory. To her outrage, he got three-fourths of their glass window.

"That antidote was your food," he replied indifferently as he made a gesture to kill her in case she crosses the other side of the bed. He then takes up a big glass with the contents looking eerily like the one she had drunk last night to survive for another day.

"H-how come you got that much antidote?" she complained, disheartening an urge to throw something at him.

"I win," he replied coolly as he jumped from his bed and took his book with him. "If you've got some kind of quest to save that friend of yours, I suggest you do the same."

She looked at him again. She noticed he often had the frown on since.

He must hate women like her.

"Your flames were a Storm's, right?" she asked, trying to spark a conversation.

"I'm not in the mood to talk much."

"But they were a Storm's, right?"

He stuck his finger on one ear and glared at her. The woman was so noisy.

He nodded.

"How come then that you don't look..."

"Ruined? Burned? Ashed?"

"Y-yes. I have the Lightning disease so... I lost my sense of smell and taste (probably touch too, I don't know) but you don't look like you don't exhibit your symptoms or something like that."

He snorted as he turned his back on her. He never replied as he returned his book on his drawer at the far side of the wall.

"I'm not like the remaining thirty per cent people still dwelling and not like those sixty-five who died already," he replied tonelessly. "Even if I have the disease... I can't die from it."

"You are so lucky to be immune."

"Shut the hell up."

Haru looked at the window. The rain was coming to an end again. She can almost see the rainbow that she was now side-by-side with- thanks to the castle.

"They're going to come for you soon."

She nods.

"As well as a rainbow, Gokudera-san- it will come soon. The rain's just a drizzle now."

And for the first time since she set foot in their room he snickers.

He snickered and then when they made eye contact he bursts out laughing.

"You- really- think-" he spewed out words between guffaws. "You-really- think- the- damn rainbow means _something like some sugary hope you can prance around with?"_

Haru turned pink. She felt insulted. Both Kyoko and she felt that way.

"Yeah. S-so what if I do?"

His bullying grin turned into a grimace as he looked away.

"The rainbow's the reason why there's a castle in the first place. No rainbow, no castle. And only when rainbows appear do contests for the antidotes take place."

"I don't see the connection."

"You will if you win or lose. Take your pick," he said as he twists his foot away and goes to his own bed, stretching his arms as he does. "I'll wait to see what happens to you."

There was a knock on the door. Thankfully, the metal automatic sliding-door was on her side of the room.

She had an urge to stick her tongue out but thought better.

She walked to the exit of her cell, but before she opened it she threw her shoe on his head.

He snarls but he slumbers on. _What a fitful sleeper. _She muttered before stomping her way out.

"Heyyy… what took you so fucking long? I thought Storm killed you." There was the same crew from the guards who took Kyoko away, led by the same long-haired guy with that maniac look on his face that just creeps her out.

"Ushishi. Perhaps he knows you'll be dying in the game anyway?" said the bangs-guy as he chains pushes her forward, to her discomfort because she had no bra on.

"When do these games happen?" she asked curiously as the long-haired guy leads them onwards. The white walls were boring her. Much more was the way they handled her. She seemed more like some kind of trussed-up doll. Their rough hands threw her around and spihe had to struggle walking as they dragged her to the end of the blank passageway where its sides were planted with doors every three feet.

"Whenever the rainbows appear. We need to let them see the consequences if they broke the Rule," leered the long-haired Commander as he adjusted his ponytail and pushed random snow-coloured buttons on the right of the gates they stopped onto. The end of the passage they had stepped in was covered by a colossal door of metal, embellished in what seemed to be diamond screws, forming a symbol of what seemed to be a silver rainbow at the middle. "I wonder what kind of red we'll get to see this time?" he cackled as the buttons produce a low hum, and the door opened horizontally.

"See ya later. Ushishi," smirked the yellow-bangs guy and pushed her inside.

And only there does she realize that there was no foothold once she took a step.

She fell, as the metal door closed and she was now plummeting into further blackness. She couldn't see anything now.

She didn't scream. She had to be strong now. If she wanted to win at whatever they were planning, she had to fall without fear of the unknown.

For her life and for Kyoko-chan, she had to give it her all. Even if...

It was as quick when she hit the bottom, and it was all too soon when she felt herself landing hard on the grainy ground.

She thought hard.

_Grainy... no, more like... sandy..._

Her eyes instantly adjusted to the blindness. Her feet met foam. Her mouth tasted salt as she blinked rapidly and stood, dusting the semi-yellow sand off and examining her surroundings.

The sky was a vivid blue as its unreachable vastness poured out from above. Whiteness, unlike the dullness she saw inside her prison walls. It was full of life, and beautifully-rendered.

She had... never seen the sky this blue before.

She looked at the horizon. It was green mountains that met her eyes. The white sand tickled her feet as the splashes water and foam cooled her toes.

It was surreal. She had been her only when she was four.

So this... was the sea. And the sea was really in front of her.

"Hm. You're my opponent then?"

It ended quickly when the realization hit her. This was something she won't be enjoying any sooner. This beach... to be inside the prison... _This. Wasn't. Real._

She looked up, slightly chilled because now when she looked to her left, a man with dirty yellow hair raised his right hand, the other one digging in his pockets. Green was what he wore, and his eyes were fierce, playful and near-aggressive. She takes a step back and feels her feet sinking deep into the water as she walks her way into the sea. Her eyes briefly examined her surroundings. She didn't know the rules yet of the contest, and she didn't know how the hell she'd be able to win. Her opponent looked deranged, he licking his lips pleasurably as he eyed her hungrily and hunches down, almost like an animal as his left hand left his pocket.

"Name's Ken. I haven't seen you before. New?" he grinned widely as he opened up the hand to reveal fangs. "Did your mate told you the rules?"

She needed to buy some time, or else she knew that she wouldn't be able to beat this person. She shook her head in reply.

He laughs in his animalistic way. "We'd be fighting. _To kill._" With that statement, he sauntered forward, pushing his fangs to his face and licking it sickeningly. "With the diseases we have as our weapons." His mouth rabidly turned scarlet and in horror, Haru notices that it was his teeth that were ablaze.

"Oh god-" she nearly says to a scream as she checked her soon-to-be battleground. There were not much cover. Trees didn't litter her abode. They were out in the open. There was no place to hide.

"Let's begin our hunt, _shall we?_" Ken asked before lunging straight at her throat as Haru shielded her face and forcing back a scream.

_**~X~**_

He merely looked on at the projector that rolled in front of his bed and at the sight of the first Flame Charade. There was the idiot, and soon she'd be eaten alive by that Ken. That's how he'd finish his opponents, anyway. He moaned and cursed himself for not killing the girl sooner.

"_Kill only when necessary."_

He pondered on those rules. He snapped his eyes shut and forced his body to land on its feet. He walked up to the small drawer near his bed and opened it. Inside were pictures stained in ash and soot. He took one and looked at it hard.

"As you ordered, Tenth," he mumbled as he looked at one in the middle of the three people. There he was, with his clan subordinates smiling and laughing.

"AND KEN BITES THE ROOKIE! OH, LOOK AT THE BLOOD STAINING THE WATER! TRULY A MAGNIFICENT SIGHT! RIGHT MOSCA? OI! LUSS IS TALKING TO YOU!"

"Goddamn announcers..." he mutters under his breath as he stows the picture once more away and launches himself on the bed.

"_Gokudera-kun, I don't want you to face the same sins I have done in the past. Please live a happier life now."_

He smirked as he looked onto the screen and imagined his Tenth's pleading eyes as he took his gun out.

"I'm sorry Tenth. Looks like it was right for you to think I'm not a dependable Right-Hand man," his grin slanted as he looked on and saw the girl trying to run away into the sea, with blood trailing behind from her bleeding left shoulder as she did. Ken didn't give much chase as he nearly slithered up to her, knowing that he'll catch up with her soon.

He had been right for not killing his second roommate this time around. Otherwise...

"Once upon a time..." he whispered to nobody. "I was also there in her place and had my First Blood. Then I killed more and more. To make me guilty... happy... It was comforting to know I did a crime. But Tenth... I..."

It wasn't easy to not apologize to his Boss.

_Much more if that person's death was your entire fault._

_**~X~**_

_**-Past.**_

"Why didn't you tell me that the lottery was a mistake?"

"Miura-san I-"

"DAMN IT TIMOTEO-SAN! GODDAMN IT ALL!" bellowed Haru back as she looked away and pushed back her angry tears. "Why did you have to screw up and double her name?"

"It was a small mistake. A simple-"

"Look at what big damage it brought!" she answered, trying to lower her voice and giving him the death glare. "Why didn't you tell us about this? About the cruel way you choose us to be your- your sacrificial goats for-"

"It's for the greater good of our clan Miura-san."

"Then don't you feel any remorse you stupid old man?"

"Remorse?" Timoteo's eyes widened, and somehow Haru could see the sliver of flame. "I lost that word the minute I made that mistake years ago. Didn't you know, my dear that my four sons were chosen? Didn't you know how hard it is to watch them being shackled by the Rainbow's chevaliers and rising up to their new hell?"

"Th-then the Castle-?"

"It's a prison. A prison for those who committed the only possible crime made in this world."

"B-but to force Kyoko-chan to kill you-"

"I have no choice. For our clan to survive one has to pay the price. If only I can return there then-"

"Damn it," Haru tried to find the strength to slap the very leader who brought them their real shelter for a long time. She searched hard into his face to find out if he was telling the truth. His expression made her wincingly look away.

"Timoteo-san..." she whispered as she unpinned her hair and fumbled with the butterfly hairpin in her hand. "Give me two years. Two years and if Kyoko-chan still hasn't died, make sure my name will be picked."

"A-are you sure? But you already know the consequences once you do! It is still not your time! Whereas Kyoko has-"

"I'm not stupid. But I've already done lots of mistakes in the past before Kyoko and her brother found me nearing death at an abandoned shack seven years ago. It won't show but my disease has already begun seeping through me. Soon I'll die."

"Yet fool-"

Haru laughed. The pin in her hand was now crackling in her flames.

"No one had called me that in a long time. I killed them all before they were able to."

"You are bluffing my dear. The Castle can detect flames. How can they possibly-"

"I controlled my flames. I had been doing that for a long time since that Crimson Castle appeared and made our world a living hell." The pin crackled and broke suddenly as her flames became much, much brighter. "And then Kyoko-chan and Ryohei-san came along and made me think about the sins I've done. They told me that if there's despair, then there can be hope."

"A childish statement..."

"Yes. I am still a foolish child, unfortunately. A small thing compared to that castle up there," she says, smiling as her flames disappeared, and she sinks into a chair beside her from exhaustion. "But they taught me something. They said that even the smallest dent can cause a tough rock to crack. They said that even the smallest flicker can shed darkness to light. That even..." she had forgotten what they said. "They said too much and I forgot the rest," she laughed. "But even so... even if it might be suicidal for me to bring her back I won't know until I try, will I?"

"You're a big fool, Haru-san," Timoteo shook his head, looking away and walking to the edge, where the glass pane showed the bluish sky spitting rain. "To let courage get the better of you-"

"I wonder what the hell happened to me too. Soon I will kill like before. How ironic: Killing one to save another..."

Timoteo smiled sadly. She'd really taint her soul for the sake of her friend. It was something he had never seen in such a long time now.

"Make sure then that you'll be ready before you go," he said, making her stand up straight. "Once you are inside, survival will be the only thing in mind."

"And finding Kyoko-chan," she piped up.

"And finding Kyoko." he repeated, trying to sound strict. "We'll be helping you back in the shape you were in."

Haru was surprised. Timoteo was really going to help her? He'd really be training her until that day arrives?

"It's been a long time since I've met a girl like you. I wish you luck."

"B-but I'm not dead yet!"

He didn't answer back. He walked up to the entrance and closed the door.

Walking up to the mirror, she tried to imagine her face when she was twelve. When she had a mask on and was killing people left and right as a bounty hunter, with her undetectable flames strangling them left and right.

She'd soon be doing that.

"Haru! Haru!" something chirped from behind.

Haru grinned. "Hibird. Looks like we'd be the only people eating here tonight- is that okay with you?"

He didn't chirp back.

_**~X~**_

**Present-**

Gokudera didn't look back at the screen.

She was trapped. She was at the edge of the beach. Any more walking and she'd be walking underwater.

"So this is it, eh?" he muttered, stifling a laugh as he grabbed his book and read it, not looking anymore.

He thought she was going to survive like the first roommate he ever had would.

He heard a snarl from the screen. Ken must've lunged. There was the sound of trashing and more trashing until... silence.

"End of the story," Gokudera mutters and closes his book.

_**~X~**_

_The End._

She was really going to get it.

Her dress was weighing down on her, as she tried to swim into the water and feeling less and less foothold as she traded on.

Ken wasn't putting much of a fight once he had bitten her. Sure, since her disease didn't make her feel, it made her more agitated. She won't feel just how much blood she had now lost and with her knees now getting wobbly and her vision getting blurry, she knew it'd be soon when she'll reach her limit.

"Yo... when will we stop with your silly games?" said Ken as he walked nearer and nearer, eyes ablaze and teeth of flames gnashing as it tried to search more flesh. "Just let me gobble you up. Don't worry, it'll be less painful. It's easy to chew you. Girls' flesh are tender than boys' after all."

_Just a little more..._

"Eh? Are you listening to me?"

_A little more..._

"End of the line. Just let me taste you again. You taste delicious anyway."

_More..._

"No," she said flatly, panting as she did, raising her arms midsection to her chest, forefingers pointing up. _Please work... it's been quite a while since I used this..._

"It's the first time I heard you speak. Wonder what your vocal chords will taste like with that voice of yours..." he said, the ripples becoming less and less distilled as he picks up speed. "You're really going to pick up a fight with that injury?" he laughed again in that animalistic way of his.

Haru nodded. Her forefingers now emitting a lot of flames as its tips touched. She looked on determinedly.

"But your flames are weak," he sneered as he paced more steps closer. "Do you think that having Lightning Flames can help you in this much water? It'll electrocute us both. And with that measly flame of yours..." he began to howl with laughter again.

"I just want to trap you. It'll be a disadvantage if we took our fight to the mountains. I know that," she said coolly and pulled her forefingers apart. From the tips came out a small thread of the lightest green and the more she pulled, the more its length grew. "You know too... a friend once told me. Even the smallest things-" More and more she spun the thread and lassoed herself up, letting her blood flow freely from the water and upwards, from it crackled flames. More and more threads began forming from her fingers and reaching forth to the mountains from afar as she looked down, tied up in her own web of protection.

Ken just stared in shock as he tried to reach her, the blood mingling with the water and from it more and more Lightning.

"Even the smallest things, they are the ones who produce the biggest miracles," she grinned as she snapped her fingers and a small dollop of flame fell.

The small flame caused the entire sea to explode.

_**~X~**_

Gokudera was wrong to turn off the projector before Haru was able to show off her flame.

The door opened, and his eyes widened when he saw the person who entered.

She was sobbing quietly, her wound encased in bandages and freshly clothed in the same white gown. Her hair was now pinned up securely, but twists of hair tumbled to her front.

"You won?" he asked.

She simply raised her head.

"They made you paint the castle?"

She nodded slowly.

"That's why you're crying."

"Dammit all. I couldn't see the reason why they should do that. I didn't kill him. He should've lived."

"And yet they forced you to see how they killed him. They cut his skin into strips before killing him."

"You know too much. You must've seen them do that a lot."

"Too much to make me stop shaking and just kill my opponents on the spot," he grunted as he stood up, shuffling as he walked to his drawer, and taking out his bottle and drinking it. "They made you paint the castle with his blood?"

"They did. Oh god- dammit all. _Dammit all_!" she screamed finally as she threw the small bottle in her hand away. Gokudera merely caught it.

"Don't waste your prize. You're lucky still that they didn't refuse giving you this," he spat as he threw the bottle to her face. By reflex, she caught it and stared at him.

"Why... are you so nice to me?" she asked tonelessly, tears refusing to come out.

"Because you won't stop yapping if I ignore you- girls are like that. My sister was the same."

She sat on her bed and looked at him. He stops and forces his hand on his mouth and looks away. She had never heard him say something about himself before. Maybe it was because it was just a day since he met but still-

"What about your sister?" she asked further.

"Just drink that antidote. Your time's almost up."

"You're changing topics again!"

"Just fucking drink that antidote!"

She gave him a fuming look before taking the cork off and giving off a big gulp. Her bracelet beeped and she felt less light-headed again.

"So what happened to your sister?" she asked again.

"She died. Does that satisfy you?"

"How did she die?"

"She had the Storm. She wasn't immune. Happy?"

"What happened after that?"

"Just go to sleep and I'll probably tell you."

"Ehm... okay."

She took her bed covers and tumbled onto the bed, eyelids drooping as she did. With that, he closed the lights and also mutters a few curses before lying into his own.

"Gokudera-san, did you manage to see the rainbow when you painted the castle every time?"

"No. Were you able to?"

"W-well I-"

"Just go to sleep."

"Eh... ok."

Silence followed as Haru tried to shut her eyes. She couldn't drift herself to sleep though. The thoughts of what happened that Flame Charade kept disturbing her.

"I don't want you to see the next Flame Charade next week."

"Hahi? Why is that?"

"You don't want to see it. Just do as you're told."

Haru couldn't understand why the hell he was saying stuff like that. It was just probably to protect her. That's all.

"Gokudera-san... what was your first Charade like?"

"I did the same thing you did. Big mistake."

"Wow. You answered my question fast."

"That's because I'm sleepy!"

"S-sorry..."

"...You shouldn't get all friendly with me. Otherwise you won't be able to kill me once we fight each other. You're too predictable and weak."

"You don't have to worry about me. Maybe that won't happen. Probably by then, I would've found Kyoko-chan."

"Don't get your hopes up, idiot. It will happen."

Haru jumped off her bed and ran to touch Gokudera's hand.

"I was right. I couldn't even feel if your hands are rough or not. I'm so sorry."

"You apologize too much. It's not your fault that the disease is taking over you," he pushed her hand away.

"I don't have much time. Sooner or later, I'll die. That's why I have to hurry. So when the time comes, we'll be able to escape. You can come along if you want, Gokudera-san," Haru smiled assuringly.

"Damn it. I'm tired of all this. Just go to sleep," yawned Gokudera as he kicked her out of his bed. "And remember what I said about the Flame Charade next week.

He looked up and remembered the first roommate he had in these four corners.

_**~X~**_

_**-Past.**_

"You don't have to be afraid."

"Fuck off you bitch!" he yelled as he punched her away, his tears already hot and falling. "You don't know anything! I deserve this! I deserve to die here. I killed them! I killed my friends! I-I'll kill you too if you come any closer."

She fell and massaged her right cheek, where a purple bruise was now clearly visible.

"It's okay. You can cry in my arms now. It's okay to admit you are weak."

"Damn you!" he bellowed as his flames encircled him and used it to shield himself away from her touch. "Just- just die already!"

She just simpered back. Her earring was dangling from her left as she walked. Her amber hair flowed freely to her knees as she paced closer and closer. She holds her arms out.

"We're the same aren't we?" she said in that sweet voice of hers. "We just got here, had our first Flame Charade and find out we are weak. It's not shameful to admit that."

He threw a flame at her. Her face hissed as it was hit.

"Die! Die! Die!" he said, with every word another ball of fire he threw. "Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die-"

Her whole body was now swathed in his flames.

"Just- just-"

But still she continued to walk. She continued to walk and the more he threw, the more strength she urged herself to go on. When she was merely a hair's breath away, the flames faded away, and yellow flames replaced it, replenishing every tissue hit.

Her benign smile graced her lips once more.

"It's okay. It's okay," she patted him, but he continued to push her away. "I'm not strong either. See?" Slowly, her cheeks were wet. Her eyes filled up with more liquid. Full to the brim, she washed it all down to her chin.

Then she broke down and cried.

Gokudera looked at her, unable to digest that she'd be the first to cry.

He was also unable to digest that he was the person to embrace her.

"It's okay, ma'am. It's okay to be helpless once."

"I know. But my friend- I just don't want her to be- I- I love her so much!" she wept as she also encircled him close to him. Merely, he closed his eyes.

"I'm here. I'm here."

_**~X~**_

She merely pulled her close to her bosom as she flipped the page she was reading to him.

"I'm not a kid anymore," he said, his cheeks reddening.

"But Hayato-kun, you act so cute!" she pinched his cheek affectionately as he pulled him close.

"I-I'm already nineteen, dammit!" he yelled as he tried to push himself from her grasp.

"Oh..." she said, startled as she immediately yanked away and closing her book. She looked at him, examining him carefully before smiling and turning a light pink. "We're the same age then."

"WHAT?" Gokudera said aloud. His eyes widen as he looked at her again from head to foot. "Just nineteen?"

"Yes," she laughed. He immediately blushed a deep crimson.

"I-I thought... well you- uh- you remind me of my mother..."

"Oh do I?" she grinned. "Really? Haha. That's a relief. What happened to her, if I'm not that rude to ask?"

Gokudera didn't answer fast. He looked at her with distrust for a moment, but he just smiled and shrugged the feeling away.

"She died a year after the Plague. Her body was weak. I was just five," he choked and swallowed before continuing: "Three years later, our town was burned by a clan, and two boys from another clan saved me and my sister. I served the clan then for eleven years and then..."

"It fell?"

"It wasn't our fault. It was bound to happen. We were low on supplies. The disease was getting worse... same old story."

She nodded in assent and didn't ask any further.

"So if you look now like my mother then... your disease, is it getting worse?"

"I'm afraid it is," she said and looked on at the window. There was the rainbow again. "I don't have much time."

"You're here because you want to?"

"Yes... and no," she smiled, now standing up and plopping herself on the bed. Her hands caress the sheets as she spoke, "I knew my brother will be here. I never told my friend about it, and I regret not doing it. She'll come here to find me, and I know it'll be too late if she does try."

"It will," he agreed. "With the twisted rules inside these walls..."

"That's why I want to ask you something. If I do fail finding my brother... will you help her yourself?" she unpinned the earring and beckoned him forward. As he does, she came closer and places the earring in his right hand and lets him clasp. She looks at it mournfully before forcing a small simper.

"I will try. I won't guarantee it though," he said, not averting her gaze.

That was enough to make her embrace him.

"It will be my turn soon. Wish me luck," she whispered as she looked at the window and at the bow outside.

He just let her embrace him one more time. There were no more words left to say.

_**~X~**_

**Present-**

He wasn't there the moment she opened her eyes.

She merely combed her hair using her hands and stared at emptily at the window. A rainbow was present again.

She remembered the warning Gokudera gave her. That she shouldn't watch the next Flame Charade no matter what.

She stared at the projector in front of their beds. A small remote was at his desk. _Probably for the projector, _she thought absent-mindedly and continued to stare at the blank screen. Then remembering the drawers were she saw some bottles, she yanked the drawer handle.

A slow chink made her realize it was locked.

She sighed.

She had nothing to do anyway. Ignoring her screaming conscience, she pushed the button.

"COMING FROM BLOCK E STAGE WILL BE OUR SECOND ROUND FLAME CHARADE THIS WEEK! I'M YOUR ANNOUNCER LUSSURIA ALONG WITH MY LOLI PARTNER, FRAN! SAY HELLO!"

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME. I DON'T WANT TO BE ALL GAY LIKE YOU. I STILL HAVE A GIRL I LIKE."

"AWW BUT FRANNY~"

She looked disgustingly at the screen. Obviously, she was having enough of this. The announcers sucked. She pushed the button off and ran to the door and pushed the door open.

Someone was waiting for her from the outside.

"Wanting to run away, do we?" A man said from behind, arms folded and chuckling at her. He was tall, blond and formidable-looking. The friendly smile he was giving her still made her uneasy.

"E-eh please don't-" she said, hastily putting her fingertips together to create a thread.

"I won't be hurting you." he said reassuringly as he patted her back. She hesitated for a moment and looked at him more. His suit hid no weapons, but knowing her experience, she wasn't going to trust him just yet.

"H-how can I be so sure?" she asked, her voice a little jittery.

He began to laugh. "I figure you won't be. You don't look like a hapless girl you ought to be when I saw your Flame Charade match."

"Eh... about that..." Her feet began making slow skips. Should she just close the door? She was like, talking to a total stranger and, knowing what kind of place she was in, he might kill her if they continue their 'chat.'

"My name's Gamma," he smiled as he gave his hand. "May I come in? I wanted to speak with Gokudera about something..."

"Eh? But he just left earlier. Sorry about that Gamma-san," smiled Haru uncomfortably. He looked friendly enough, but can she trust him really?

"Yes... hmm... I had forgotten it was his turn today. Looks like an easy win for him anyway," he rubs his chin thoughtfully.

"Umm... is he really that good?" She wonders out loud. He just pats her head affectionately.

"He hasn't lost a single match since he arrived here two years ago," Gamma winked.

"O-oh..." her jaw dropped. "He never told me that..." More like, he never bragged about it. What a humble guy.

"Can I come in?" he asked again. Haru didn't need to be asked twice. She pushes the door open and enters, him trailing behind.

"Eh... what about your room mate, Gamma-san? Won't that person wonder why you're gone?"

Gamma didn't smile as Haru offered him her bed to sit on.

"She's dead." he stated flatly.

"I-I'm such an idiot to ask you that." Haru banged her head as she sat on the floor and turned on the button for the projector.

"Worry not," he replied, patting her head again. "It happened a year ago. There's nothing I can do anyway."

She stopped talking. She obviously didn't want to pry further and looked on at the screen.

"AND WE HAVE ANOTHER BLOODFEST! LOOK AT THAT! IS THERE REALLY NO ONE ABLE TO STOP THE BLOODY TEMPEST? ONCE AGAIN WE SEE ANOTHER MASSACRE FROM STORM-KUN!"

Haru stopped.

The remote fell from her hands and hit the floor with a 'tok'. Her eyes and mouth widened. Her legs fell onto the ground.

There was Gokudera. On the screen, on one hand his flames like explosives. On another hand, was the neck of his opponent, who was gurgling blood.

His opponent was a girl.

"Poor Chrome Dokuro," she heard Gamma say. "And it was just her first time today. She just had to fight Gokudera..."

"P-PLEASE..." she heard the girl say as she coughed more of the sickly fluid. Gokudera was expressionless. He merely raised her higher and higher the more she struggled. Her trident on one hand disappeared like the Mist. Her feet slowly and slowly stopped kicking.

Haru didn't know what to feel.

Gokudera's eyes remained hidden as he ignored the plea and continued to strangle her, her blood from her wounds beginning from her torso mingling with his.

She was really going to watch someone die. She had been used to this but to see a person she knows... doing that in his own will... she...

The girl was slowly losing her breath. She just looked at her would-be murderer helplessly before smiling at him, accepting her defeat.

"GOOD NIGHT..." she whispered, before closing her eyes.

He immediately let go. Her body clattered to the stone floor. Her mouth still had that smile on. He just continued to look on at the battered corpse. He just continued to look on at the wounds he had inflicted on her and at the blood-stained floor.

And then, from behind him, he takes the bucket and before he takes her blood, the projector becomes blank white again.

She looked back and saw the remote on Gamma's hand.

"It's not right for you to see how he takes the blood from his victim. Gokudera can be really careless," he shook his head. "Well... I don't want to intrude into your reunion. I better go then."

He stood up to leave.

"Was he... always like that?" she asked hollowly.

"He usually never shows mercy. I'm sorry you had to see that..." The slight pause was enough to make her know she hadn't introduced herself yet.

"It's Miura Haru," she didn't want to see Gamma looking into her eyes.

She didn't look at the door closing but turned at the window. The rainbow was as beautiful as ever.

Gokudera wasn't able to appreciate it. And for the first time since it appeared in the sky, she wasn't able to appreciate it also.

The rainbow came to an end.

_**~X~**_

"Gamma told me. I warned you about watching. It's your fault."

She doesn't answer as she digs her head further onto her pillow. She heard Gokudera's soft footsteps coming closer and a loud plomp on the bed was enough for her to know he was lying down.

"You'll get used to seeing stuff like that. Hell, most of the people here are more brutal than me."

"You made her suffer."

"I made her death bearable."

"I don't know if I should correct you or hit you."

"You can do neither."

"Fuck off the wisecracks. It's not helping," she whispered as she rolled to her back, refusing to believe that this person should actually _**kill **_someone that way.

"If that would make you stop being noisy..." he grunted.

"Why did she smile when you killed her like that?"

She took off the pillow and was now looking at the tiled ceiling.

"It was what she wanted."

"To be slaughtered like that?"

"I just granted her wish that's all. She just wanted to be with her parents again."

"That way?"

"That's the way she killed them, anyway. They'd do the same with her before she gave their just desserts."

She stopped talking and continued her reflection. So he... he did that for her. He didn't kill her like that because he wanted to. Maybe all the people he killed... maybe he did the same for them.

"You're very kind... Gokudera-san."

"I just did what she wanted. What's 'kind' in that?"

She guffaws.

"If you're not going to say anything else, I'm going to sleep."

She didn't answer back.

She didn't need to, after all.

_**~X~**_

_**-Past.**_

"I should probably give this to you. You're still alive, after all."

He takes the earring from his drawer and gives it to her. Rolls and rolls of bandages hung on every corner of her body with her trying her best to stand up. She shakes her head.

"I saw him. He's here, and he recognized me. I don't need that anymore," she murmured excitedly before falling.

He caught her just in time.

Just a beat. Just a moment before the blushes appeared and ruined it.

"It's difficult to beat a sun user like you?" he asked as he helped her by the window, the place she often would wander into.

"I made sure Shouichi-san passed on peacefully," she smiled, her thoughts lingering along with the small drops of rain. "I made sure of that."

He looked at her and ignored the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

"You should sleep now. It's nearing midnight."

"Will he come and see me... I wonder?" she didn't seem to be listening. He smiled and let her fall into her reverie.

Before he could step to his bed however, he felt her bandaged hand taking his arm.

"Thank you for everything, Gokudera-kun," she said placidly. "You made me so strong."

He notices her for the first time. Her face had thin lines forming from her eyelids to her temples. Her eyes were sunken. Her skin was wrinkled and worn. Her neck was sagging, as was her bosom.

Her battle with Shouchi made her exhaust the energy she had left. If she continued this way then she'd be-

"Is it okay to tell you that you're wrong? That all along it was the other way around?" he murmured. Before it was too late it was better for her to know about it.

"Wish it was. But I was never the one who gave you strength. You know that right?" she sat down as she looked more into the night sky.

"You make me laugh."

"You're not laughing," she said finally, smiling at him.

He knew he wasn't. He hadn't done that in a really long time.

"If I laugh... will you laugh along with me?"

She just stared at him then, his face was pink and he was mustering all his strength to look serious.

"Sure."

Her answer was enough to make him do so.

_**~X~**_

_**Future?**_

She wanted to ask why he was smiling like an idiot.

"Hey, why are you smiling like a nincompoop?" So she asks, flamboyantly, at that.

"I just remembered something, with that friend of yours."

"Her name's Kyoko."

"It's just a little thing that will contribute to what kind of person she was."

"Oh shut up with your useless comebacks," she sighs as they walk. The greenery continued to stretch forward, encasing them fully, with abandoned structures abounding the greenery as they do go on.

"Hey," he says suddenly once they stop outside what seemed to be an old factory. A tattered flag weakly blew along with the gentle wind.

She just looks quizzically at Gokudera.

"This was the building our clan stayed in before all of them were wiped out," he says suddenly as he turns to walk inside. She follows silently. Nothing bars their way as they walk into the hunks of rusting debris. Light filters through the glass panes above, and she can see what became of the dilapidated factory. Dirt and scattered belongings occupied the room.

"This was where my sister died," he points at one area. "This was where I saw Yamamoto kiss my sister. This was where the Tenth scolded me for spying. This was where they told me they were now together. This was where I said bad things at Yamamoto. This was where the Tenth told me that I... wasn't fit to be his right hand man... This was where that Yamamoto... goddammit... I never apologized to him properly!"

They pass rooms inside. More and more they do... the more and more does she became silent. She has, after all never heard him say something about himself before.

"This was where... I played. Oh... it's still here."

It is a small room. Too dingy for three people to come in but nestled cosily inside was a dusty grand piano.

He walks carefully, his left hand reaching out until it touched the grimy thing. He touches the keys he opens. A low hum of the C one launches a smile on her face.

"You didn't tell me you played the piano." she pouts, as she follows him.

"I forgot that the only person I told about it was her."

"You never told me anything," she pretends to be hurt.

He struck another chord. It reverberated to her heart and somehow, she felt a little warmth flowing to her. It was a feeling that she had never felt before in a long time.

"You're crying again," he teases.

"Oh- I- I'm so sorry." The tears continue to flow even if she wipes them away. "I-I've just never heard something that made me feel that's all..."

"You're such a crybaby," he scoffs as he plays the keys and remembering the melody he was taught long ago.

His hands fly over the keyboard and more and more do his fingers touch white or black, the more and more does he remember that face with silver and emerald. His hands fell from low to high, from fast to slow and before long, that melody became a song.

She just looks on, entranced at it all. For obnoxious and short-tempered Gokudera-kun to know playing the piano... really...

"Did your mother teach you?"

He just nods as he concentrates on his piece.

"You're lucky. My mom and dad died after I was born."

He doesn't listen and continues playing.

"So your mom dies... and Tsunayoshi-san and Yamamoto-kun takes you and your sister in... then what happens?"

He doesn't stop playing.

"Sis dies when a clan war was raging on. I rage at everyone then Tenth decides to let Yamamoto-kun get the Right-Hand-Man title. Then I go emo and decide to just let him win. Then I find out he was going to die with that Rain Sickness of his and pitied him (just a little). We were still happy."

His playing begins to pick up speed.

"Then our clan disbanded. Not because of the clan wars we had to go through, but because the disease was really getting the better of us. Soon, it was the three of us left. He, Yamamoto told me to use that gun to kill him."

"And did you?"

He doesn't stop as he reaches now the high notes.

"I didn't. I couldn't do it. But the pain he was in, letting his body freeze and then break apart... it was just too much a sight for me to ignore. So I grabbed the gun."

_**~X~**_

_**-Past.**_

He won't put a fight. He knew that.

"D-do it now... Gokudera please..." he heard Yamamoto say as he heard the sound of cracking ice. His skin was becoming more and more cracked. It'll be soon when he'd die.

"Alright." he decided finally as he snatched the gun and pointed it to his forehead. Yamamoto forced a smile that ended up cracking his lips further.

It would be quick right? He often wished to kill Yamamoto. His rival, his brother-in-law, the Right-Hand-Man. He was too big an obstacle. It would be all quick. Just one gunshot and he'd be able to avenge the title that should've been his.

Yes... soon...

"Stop that, Gokudera-kun."

Of course he'd come. His Tenth would never tolerate any killing from any sides, whether enemy or ally. It included them. He placed his gloved hand on the hilt of the gun and before Gokudera could react, he takes the gun away.

"Yamamoto-kun, just close your eyes," he whispered as his cloaked figure approached the dying man. His Right Hand Man obeyed.

There was a gunshot, and the wound in Yamamoto-kun's forehead was enough for his body to fully shatter.

Gokudera was too much overcome with shock at the sight he was seeing.

"Tenth... why?" he didn't need to elaborate as his heavily-cloaked boss looked at him with his all-knowing eyes.

"Gokudera-kun, I don't want you to face the same sins I have done in the past. Please live a happier life now."

He takes off his cloak, and from it, he almost lost his footing due to horror. His arms were cracked while his left leg was in a state of decay. His body seemed wrinkled and when he took off his glove, his fingers on one hand were eleven while on the other, fourteen. He randomly coughed up blood as he notices how sunken his abdomen looked like.

All along, his boss had the Sky disease and he never told them.

"T-tenth I never knew you-"

And he suffered a lot just for the sake of this clan and to die like this...

Still, his Tenth waved it all off as he closed his eyes.

"Once I die, we will disband and you'd be the only survivor. By then I beg you to live simply and without any regrets. That will be the final gift I will give you. Gokudera-kun, live the best of it."

"T-tenth."

He just nodded in reply as he placed the gun to his temple. "I was right for you not to become my Right Hand Man. If you followed me into my grave, then how would the world know about the Clan of Clams?

"_Tenth!"_

He smiled one last time. "Be strong, Gokudera-kun."

"**TENTH!"**

The gunshot that followed merely drowned the wail after.

_**~X~**_

_**Future?**_

"And so when that long-haired commander came-"

"His name's Squalo."

"Well then fucking correct me again!"

"Expletive word..."

"Well..." he huffed before continuing, "When _Commander Squalo_ (happy?) came with his cronies, they thought I was the killer. Being the emo as I was, I didn't put up a fight and thought it was my entire fault so I followed them straight to the castle I had cursed almost all my life." He stops playing and began walking again, letting his hand burrow into the pocket to find the earring that Kyoko gave her years ago. He pauses and then thinks hard before chuckling.

"Well whaddaya know. The earring she gave me has disappeared."

"Eh?" she looks at the mirror and notices the earring not in their place too. "W-what happened?"

"I forgot you neither tend to nor remember things like an average woman does. You're an idiot, after all. I forgot about that. You even forgot what happened."

"What did I forget?" she thunders, looking panicky. "Where is the earring? What the hell happened?"

And like the usual question-and-answer portion they often had, Gokudera passes the questions and searches for a new one.

"Let's go then. You and your silent treatments... ugh! You just piss me off so bad!"

_**~X~**_

**Present-**

"Ken merely underestimated you. That's why you won," said her opponent, walking in a slow, robotic manner as the yoyos in both hands began to steadily multiply as he walked forward.

"He did." Haru smirked as she jumped from wall-to-wall in their arena. Desks and bags were thrown aback and forward as she controlled her strings to every corner of their classroom arena. Her ripped 'school uniform' tattered along the more his yoyos become buried in purple flames and a shower of needles came to greet her. "And I apologize. You're probably his best friend. My room mate told me everything about you, Kakimoto Chikusa-san." She brandished her strings as she carefully controls the strings to attack, she jumping from wall-to-wall as she does. "I apologize for everything. I never thought-"

"You never managed to give him a peaceful death!" interrupted Chikusa as he jumps to avoid them and with a burst of purple flame, his yoyos steadily increase in size as the two ones wrenched a desk apart. The more he did, the more he gained foothold to reach Haru. "You let them killed him! You made him die like that!"

"I-" Haru couldn't say anything to soothe him further, he was right after all. "I'm sorry." She infused more Lightning to her fingertips and used it to buy more time before she'd do her final assault. "I-I thought," she whispered, her voice losing both strength and intonation as her Lightning gave more light than the fake sunset on that phoney window. "I thought that it was right to let him live. Like what happened in the past, I was wrong," with that she twirled carefully as her strings she let wrap around her body, glowing brighter and brighter as the strings wrap more tightly than the last time. "That's why I-"

He was beginning to understand why she was wrapping herself in her own cocoon. The strings that ebb through every nook and cranny gave him an idea.

She was using her flames to shield herself.

"Chikusa-san, I promise you won't feel a thing," she whispered as she holds her hand out, and lets it flow to her cocoon and out to the threaded world she had infused her Lightning onto. "Please- don't cry anymore."

Chikusa just stared and thought time slowed down as her Lightning flames went from inside her and into the classroom. He shoves the glasses to his eyes further. '_So she saw...'_ He, with all the strength he has, brandished his yoyo straight at her cocoon. '_She really saw it...'_ As he screamed, his glasses slipped off and showed his eyes brimming in tears. He then jumped and proceeded to deal a final blow.

The arena exploding indicated that he had failed.

_**~X~**_

_Hours later-_

He pushes the wheelchair without question. The person inside was lightly bandaged. The cuts she had sustained were just moderately poisonous and thankfully, did not induce anymore wounds.

"This is just your tenth match and for you to be reduced to a state like this..."

"You don't have to be so concerned Gamma-san. I'm okay," said Haru, looking at the passageway expectantly. "You should worry about yourself more. It's your match tomorrow, right?"

"It's better if you don't remind me," he laughs off. "Better still if you get some rest."

She was thinking hard. Gamma was probably right of chiding her stubbornness. She _had_, after all nearly exhausted herself this time around. Thank god though, that after painting the castle for just a few minutes, they let her go again. It was sickening after all to see Chikusa's body being crushed to obtain blood, and then using it to maintain the castle's color. She was never going to get used to that. Like before, she puked on the clinic's clean floor after much to the annoyance of the doctor Shamal.

"Gamma-san, why are you so kind to me?" she asked out of the blue. Gamma, who was expecting the question, answered quickly.

"Because you remind me of my roommate; she was as optimistic as you."

"E-eh?" Haru immediately blushed as Gamma smiled at her.

"And I figured..." he began pushing the wheelchair again. "That Gokudera might not treat you as much. He had after all killed all his roommates when they picked a fight with him."

"You're wrong Gamma-san," she corrected, as they rounded a curve on the passageway. The doors showed no numbers, and the only thing they could depend on to know the room they were staying in is their memories. Since Gamma was just two doors away, it was okay to let him lead the way. He had, after all done that since she had her own matches. "Gokudera-san had been kind to me. Umm... he often tells me to shut up but after, he's really kind to let me know about the Castle. He told me that he'll be leading me outside to one of the turrets."

"Uh... when did he tell you that?"

"Before we sleep. He seems much calmer then," she beamed.

"Eh... maybe he's just sleep-talking. He often does that," said Gamma, eyeing her closely. She seemed to be truthful, and he never saw Haru saying lies before..._ oh_. He noticed something as he looked at her.

"Is that an earring?" he asked as the wheelchair speed began to slow down. Haru looked forward and saw they were nearing their cells anytime soon.

"Y-yes," she was surprised at Gamma now. He had never asked small insignificant things like this before. He'd ask more about what Gokudera was doing, and forces her to spy on him.

"I saw him having that exact earring. When I was talking to him and he picked something up, it slipped to the floor. I can't be wrong. It was long and had the same insignia in the middle of the pearl. Funny since he doesn't like to carry girlish keepsakes like that. But now that I thought about it..."

"What?" she suddenly felt like she had been thrown with a pond-ful of ice-cold water. Gokudera _had_ mentioned something about the earring in his sleep. "What do you think about it Gamma-san?" she said imploringly, her hands already grasping on his black suit as her brown and grief-stricken eyes near hers. She had to know. Gokudera... is there really something he knows about her? Was he lying all along?

"He... well he had a roommate he didn't kill. His first one was a girl."

"Did she have long hair and yellow eyes?"

"Who knows? I only came here a year ago. I just heard the rumors..."

"Thank you for telling me Gamma-san."

They stopped at her door. He pushed the button for her.

Before he said 'Your welcome' she had already closed the door, her thoughts too occupied for her to notice him.

_**~X~**_

He was sleeping when she had arrived. It _was _already night time after all. She pushed her wheelchair once more at the window, her heart racing as she tried to piece everything together.

So Gokudera's first roommate _was_ Kyoko. She's probably the person who softened him up or something. Then there's the earring mystery. He had the earring and probably, Kyoko gave it to her. But why? She'd never give it to anyone unless...

She only said she'd give it away unless _she found her brother._

Then after... if she wasn't here then maybe, just maybe... they must've escaped already. She smiled and clapped happily. _Then they're okay. They're really okay. And they're probably... they're probably..._ oh no... she stopped clapping. They're probably looking for her.

Oh god, what the hell has she done?

"You're noisy as ever! Stop that stupid clapping!" he says angrily as he wipes his eyes. When he sees what she was sitting onto and the horrified look on her face, he just looks on with heavy-lidded eyes.

"Gokudera-san, is there any way to escape the Castle?"

His eyes found life as he understood. He then forced back a laugh and looked at her, smirking.

"You're kidding me."

"I'm serious here!" she stressed. "You know the passageways inside the castle right? Then there's a way you must know to get out of here."

He chuckled at her idiocy. "If I knew, then I wouldn't even be here, fool. Why? You wanted to get out of here?"

"No... I just thought... maybe my friend... maybe she had escaped with her brother... that's why I can't probably find them. I asked Gamma to help me so..."

"Then they're probably dead. Or they're taken by the leaders of the castle. That's all there is to it."

"You lied to me."

The sudden switch of topics prolonged his patience. His eyes opened as he gave her a what- the-hell look.

"You're delusional. I've never been dishonest to you."

"And yet you talk like you don't know her," she muttered bitterly. "She must've thought you were a friend. That's why she gave you that earring." She took off the dewdrop on her ear and threw it to him. He caught it by instinct and returned it to her without even looking at it.

"She... that person was the only one who'd ever told me I was important to her," he said as his hair loomed over his eyes and he bowed his head. "She wasn't a fool like you. She knew that she might fail in finding someone here. People who are here, after all have succumbed already to despair."

"What happened to Kyoko-chan?" Haru screamed as she placed her fingertips together again, unable to accept that the truth was already in front of her. She told herself that the clues he were giving her didn't make sense. That all of them were fucking lies. That Kyoko wasn't- "What happened to her?" Her strings now were becoming longer as she yanked more and more of her flames.

He just turned away. "You already know yourself." One by one the strings fell down to the ground, singed in what seemed to be scarlet.

She gave him a wild look and said no more.

She knew it already. Yet she was hoping that she was wrong.

"I will give you the final warning: Do not **ever **watch the Flame Charade tomorrow. If you do that, then I _won't_ hesitate killing you."

His tone was icy and somehow, her back prickled as he said those words.

He, after all had always been honest to everyone.

...Including with her.

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p><strong>Review if you think this sucked or not. Sorry for the length and not going anywhere.<br>**


	2. One Storm, Two Suns

_I didn't have any people to dedicate this work to at first. Actually, I didn't have any confidence typing away this fic. It's too long and too dark for the usual KHR readers. I'm glad though that some still didn't mind and urged me on to finish it. :) I salute you all, especially the reviewers! _

_I was really, really confused to whom I was supposed to dedicate my work (I'm going back to the main point!) since there were these amazing people who supported me._

_Then last June 13, my friend died of aneurysm. She was only 16 and was just about to enter her first day of college when she was pronounced 'brain dead'. It was all so sudden and shocking. I actually cried while I was taking a bath in my dorm, and when I came to visit her wake I still couldn't believe she was really gone. It was an eye-opener for me. She was the first person ever to read the draft of this fic, and she wanted me to finish it. I never had the chance to grant her wish while she was still here. _

_Tempus fungit. Before I turn 18, I should at put all my tales in my head to words. So Saika, this is for you. You were an amazing person. I wish you had gotten to see the end. :')_

**-**_**Turn It Off **_by_ Paramore_

**-**_**August 28, 3:30 AM **_by _Automatic Loveletter _

* * *

><p><strong>Tiro Secondo<strong>

****~X~****

_Towards a Goal, that's Nonexistent. It's nonexistent._

_Can we just keep Believing?_

**-Past**

Gokudera saw Yamamoto and Bianchi one rainy afternoon outside his bedroom door, with lips locked and hands pulling each other into a suffocating embrace. Their eyes were closed and seemed both serene and passionate and their mouths didn't even moan from the taste, the smell, the _feeling_…

And Gokudera threw a punch straight at Yamamoto's face, knocking him to the ground and drawing enough blood. He would've dared using his flames as well, but then he'd be breaking a rule in their clan.

"Well what guts. Woah, you surprise me. Instead of following the Tenth's orders to stand guard you'd hit on my sister. Bravo, you bastard."

He surprised even himself because his tongue can still spew out sarcasm as his eyes filled with pure malice darted to his mouth. To touch, to even _dare smother __**his**__ lips_ with his sister's own that son of a bitch-!

He readied his eager fist for another round when Bianchi grabbed his younger brother's fist.

"You foolish boy. It's not his fault. Hit your own sister instead," she murmured unwaveringly, letting her long, chipped nails claw onto her younger brother's.

"Get the fuck off. You know I'd never hit a girl," he threw her hand aside, every sense of respect for her older sister gone as he raised his fist again.

He'd hit him a thousand times, even a million for keeping it a secret from him.

He's supposed to be Yamamoto's best mate. They swore- along with the Tenth, that they won't share lies.

He wishes that even as he draws more blood that he won't ever forgive him for this.

His sister's lipstick still embedded slightly on his lips made him not waver.

And Sawada Tsunayoshi walked up the steps…

**~X~**

**-Past**

"Then what happened?" Kyoko stared, her eyes wide and hidden by her saggy brows.

"I got demoted. T'was the worst fucking day of my life," Gokudera laughed bitterly, his feet dangling by the edge of the turrets.

As a prize for winning his 20th fight, he was given permission to go on one of the top towers in the castle along with his room mate.

It still wasn't a pretty sight. The skies were overcast with grey, ready to drizzle another rain shower. The ground seemed like a barren black hole from below.

The only thing relieving him were her severely short amber hair flecked with silver and her pale wrinkled mouth embedded with a smile.

"I guess I was envious of that baseball idiot," he laughs as both his and Kyoko's hand touched each other. "My sister was the only living girl left there. Oregano and the Tenth's mother died a month before. I wanted to… I guess feel _full_, not empty like this shithole planet we're currently in."

"Don't all of us wish to feel complete?" Kyoko smiles and merely places her hand on top of his own. "You just wanted to love and be loved like them. You could've just told me that plainly."

Gokudera turned beet red as her gaze continued to bore to his.

"I-I don't want-"

"There's nothing wrong with that," Kyoko grinned. "When I was a kid, I just wanted to get married and have kids. Such a naïve whim, I must say haha…"

"Sometimes, I wish the Flame charade was just a video game. Or this disease was just some temporary flu or something. Better, I wish that I can follow the person I'd be with even in the afterlife. My sister didn't scream in pain as her Storm flames turned her into cinders at the end. Yamamoto also didn't wince when he still held on to her hand. Guess he didn't dread the future because he knew he'd follow her soon."

He looked at her hand rather soberly.

"How long has it been since we met?" he asks as he noticed her small, veiny and frail hands.

"It's been eight months. Time sure flies, doesn't it?" Kyoko says serenely.

Gokudera stared at her. Eight months seemed like six decades from her appearance.

"I wish I could stop it," he says, finally holding her hand firmly. "I don't want tomorrow to come and flash that fucking rainbow."

"Yeah…"

Silence followed. Gokudera kept staring at her hand. He began to shake.

It was just not fair. All of this was unfair. Her life might end tomorrow. And for him- for him to not be able to say it-

"Gokudera-kun, can you promise me that when my friend comes here, you'd let her live no matter what?" Kyoko says, jerking him to full height.

"W-what?" Gokudera yelps, his thoughts dashed. "I-I'm not babysitter material, you already know that with how you treated me."

"I already gave you hints on how you'd treat her. I know you'd be able to succeed," she says cheerfully. "I believe in you, Gokudera-kun…I…"

Her lips weren't able to spout anymore encouragement as her head sags onto his left shoulder. He kept holding onto her hand.

"Sorry…" she mumbles, her eyes closed. "My body… isn't as strong as before…"

He gives her a strained smile as his hand caressed her head.

"I wish I was like you," Gokudera whispers. "Maybe if I was, I'd be able to have more good times with the Tenth and the baseball idiot."

She simpers. Her eyelids were still.

"I really regret punching him that time and not forgiving him till he died," he looks down at his dangling feet while stroking her hair. "I wish I could also smile like you even now."

He continued to hold onto her fingers despite his tremulous hands.

"The flame charade's tomorrow. Kyoko-san…" he whispered.

"Do your best," she says feebly.

"Please. Your brother-"

"I know. But I won't be able to escape now. My body's too weak to wait for life to come knocking at my door. I won't be able to win."

He clenches his teeth as he tries to not let his choking win this time.

"Gokudera-kun… can we stay here for a little while?"

He has to say it. Right now before-

But he knows even if he does-

"Yeah," he nods, blinking back tears. It's not the time to get emotional.

"You're such a good person. I'm glad that to have met you Gokudera-kun. Do me a favor and stop swearing too much."

"Well I'm not glad to have met you," he murmured angrily. "Because of you I get all teary-eyed out of little things when I should be-" he stopped midway. Fuck, fuck, fuck why?!

"You should be what?" she giggled hoarsely.

He stares at her for a moment before shaking his head.

It won't matter even if he told her that he loves her so, so much he'd be ready to sacrifice himself to let her live on in peace.

It didn't matter now because he'd be breaking his promise if he does.

"It's nothing important. Just rest. Tomorrow's gonna be a big day…"

**~X~**

**Present-**

"You're still awake? Fuck…" Gokudera sighs as he tosses the book he was reading aside.

"Well what about you? Shouldn't you get a good sleep for tomorrow? If you got killed I'd really get bored here," yawns Haru as she stretches her legs and lets her hands reach onto both.

"Dream on hag. I'll live another day just to torment you."

"Puh-leez man! As if I'd let you torment me. Just go to sleep already. I'll just continue to watch over you, like a ghost!"

He bit his lip as she said those words. It didn't annoy him in a way. It merely gave him a pang of bitter nostalgia he wanted to get out of his system.

"You know, Kyoko-chan sometimes appear in my dreams cheering me on you know. Maybe she's a dream seer or something. It just makes me want to go on and make sure that I'd see her again."

"Whatever," he muttered before letting his eyes flit onto another page of the book. She was really lucky. He envied her for having Kyoko appear on her dreams whereas he…

He deserved to be haunted by her. He deserved to hear her taunts, her blames and her tears to make him wake up again and again.

The books were wrong. They implied your pasts would come haunting you.

"I've been meaning to ask you, but did you think Kyoko-chan ever escaped the Crimson Castle?"

He kept silent and was taking a battered pen from his drawer, scribbling words on the book. It was his usual ritual: writing notes on the book each time he finishes it.

"Can you answer my question? Hel-lo?" She called out.

"I told you already. Stop deluding yourself. If she did, then you might have seen her there. I haven't gotten a partner for a year since then."

"Umm… maybe she switched rooms…?"

**SBAM!**

"G-guh-Gokudera- s-san…" she choked, her feet kicking at him helplessly.

He didn't know what suddenly got over him. It took quite a few seconds for his patience to run out and for him to raise her high up with his hands clawing at her robes. Her collar kept her floating off the ground by two feet.

"You fucking optimistic fool," he whispered. "Face the music you stupid bitch. If she did win then she might've met up with you there on the fucking ground. That girl's gone. She's dead."

It took 30 seconds as he threw her to the ground for her to catch her breath and believe her ears. He… yes, he emphasized earlier that he's brutally honest but still…

He's not immune to having wrong answers right?

"I don't believe you," she proclaimed defiantly.

"Then shut yourself from the truth you stupid hag," he yawned. "You win. I'm going to bed. Remember to not watch the Flame Charade tomorrow. I'll kill you woman if you do."

She looked at him morosely as he shut his eyes. True, she wasn't scared of Gokudera yes, but it was still hard to talk to him. He still keeps shutting himself from the world.

If Kyoko-chan was here, then she might've soothed Gokudera. Haru cannot be like her. She was too immature and selfish to ever be like her.

It made her rather glum.

Add to the fact that Gokudera had told her about her best friend's demise that she was still refusing to accept.

If that were true… then her mission was pointless. If Kyoko was really… _dead_ then what should she do now?

It cannot be true. It's wrong. She didn't want to accept it.

If she did, then she'd rather join her than stay here, killing people.

"Gokudera-san?"

"Didn't I tell you earlier I'm hitting the sack?"

"Final question, promise," she vowed with her heart racing.

"Shoot."

"How did… Kyoko-san die?"

"You said earlier you didn't believe me."

"I don't but… well if it's the only thing for me to stop deluding myself then I'm ready to find out the truth."

"…I can't tell you," Gokudera's voice lowered.

"Eh? Why?"

"Tch. No helping it then if you keep fucking asking. Tomorrow. I want you to watch tomorrow. Bring Gamma with you. You might not be able to bear it."

"E-eh?! But w-"

"Shh. I'm going to sleep," he said irritably.

"Ok then. Sorry." She didn't want to make him change his mind. "Good night Gokudera-san."

"I'm sorry."

She looked at him. Those words were the last things she'd ever hear from a guy like him.

"I can't tell you how. If I do, you won't be emotionally prepared. A hag like you might not be able to handle it."

Her mouth opened in shock. These words actually made her think Gokudera _cared_. Was she hearing this right?

"Thank you," she murmured.

"Well, goodnight."

What- how- what the hell? Did she hear Gokudera _saying good night_? To her?

The sudden change in attitude muted her. Wait… did this mean…?

He must've really… cared for Kyoko. To even… wow, to even care of her friend's feeling (aka Haru's) then…

She felt a pang of jealousy and tried to shrug it off. Kyoko deserved it after all. She was a nice person. She'd…

She felt a tear come out of her eye. Was it right to believe what Gokudera said? Was it good to just face an unbearable truth facing her now?

Will she really do watch tomorrow's Flame Charade? Gokudera… he might be even facing the _killer._ Can she really handle that?

Gokudera might lose. She definitely didn't want to see it. To see another important person in her wretched life to die…

No. She must hold on to her belief. Kyoko's not dead. _Please, tell me she's not dead._

She wanted Kyoko to appear or something, to say with her own rose lips that she was dead. She didn't want to find it in her own.

She stared at her bracelet and touched her earring, hoping she'd be able to even catch a glimpse of Kyoko's spirit.

In the end, all she found out was her sense of touch was gone.

**~X~**

**-Past.**

"Hibird…" she whispered mournfully as she cuddled the yellow puffball with her empty right hand. She concentrated all of her flames in the tips of her left index finger. One touch would be enough for a painless death.

The bird chirped and coaxed itself onto her head. She smiled. He was doing it to not let her see him die.

It took 10 seconds after she placed her index finger out to no longer hear Hibird. She closed her eyes as she cradled the lifeless bird on her hands.

"Good job," she congratulated the brave bird, her voice about to break as she placed it on the velvet box she made to serve as his coffin.

"_Voiiiii!_ So it's you then?!" someone shouted as sounds of clanking boots filled the hall. Intruders in black marched inside, striding in the middle path leading to the stage. They were the same squad that took Kyoko two years ago.

"_Voiii,_ I saw you with that girl before… hmm, are you going with your friend?" sneered the commander maliciously as he pushed the small beeping thing to turn off in his left chest pocket. Haru recognized it at the same thing that he pressed before. It must be the tracking device used to know when one kills.

"I am," said Haru with as much courage she tried to muster. She was scared as hell, but this was the time to prove her guts.

"Hmm," Squalo inspected her from head to toe. "You probably won't last. Not that we give a damn though."

"Wah, Squalo-chan must never underestimate an underdog~ Come here, pretty. We'll now take you out," said a man from Squalo's left side rather sweetly. "Say goodbye to them. You might not see them again."

Haru looked at them all and grinned.

"Thank you everyone. I guess I have to go," she said, especially nodding at Timoteo. Her stomach tightened as she closed Hibird's box.

As she went with Squalo up the castle via riding the robotic 'henchman' from his group, she can't help feeling frustrated of not saying a better farewell speech.

**~X~**

**Present-**

Like usual, Gokudera was no longer there when she opened her eyes.

She stirred and stood up. His bed was unmade, with his antidote bottle still open and its contents dripping on the white floor.

"_Tsk. Still as messy as ever," _she sighed exasperatedly as she corked his bottle shut and cleaned the sheets. It reminded her so much of Kyoko's big brother, and how often she and Kyoko would clean their place every morning.

She smiled as she began to fold the sheets. She was happy at least that she didn't have many grim memories to override the ones she was so fond of.

"Oh," she whispered as she looked at the book just on top of Gokudera's drawer. It seemed old and dog-eared. It was the same book that Gokudera always read since she came there. She wondered why he never seemed bored of reading the same thing every night. Her hand instinctively reached out for it-

_Wait!_ She tried to warn herself. If Gokudera ever knew she was going through his stuff then she'd be prepared for heavy punishment- or death if he was in a bad mood.

Well… that can happen if he knew. If she didn't tell him then… An evil grin spreads over her face. _Oh come on, Haru. You're a good liar. He can't possibly know._

And once she assured herself, she began flipping the first page.

_This diary is a property of Kyoko Sasagawa._

"N-no…" a moan escaped from her lips as she read the words. Really, there embossed in feeble sun flames was Kyoko's name. She leafed through the second page. _Is- is this true?_ She had forgotten how Kyoko wrote. It had already been five years since she ever saw her handwriting.

Was this curlicue-d writing really hers?

_I'm really glad that the guards were kind enough to lend me this diary. I know I could've gone mad if they didn't. Ah, diary I'm so sorry I have to pour out my feelings to you! I hope you forgive me, but I really need your help! Dx_

_Well, I made friends with my roommate today. His name is Gokudera Hayato, and he's a really misunderstood person. I'll try my best to be friends with him, even if he nearly fried me to death. xP_

A tear came out of her eye. Even in the beginning, she wasn't scared of what was going to happen to her. She still thought of others more than her wellbeing.

_Gokudera's talking to me now! Yay, she reminds me so much of Haru when onii-chan and I first met her._

Haru made a face. Her and Gokudera, alike? She can barely see a hint of difference.

_Both weren't too keen to trust after the horrible things they experienced. I'm glad that I managed to make him say stuff he SHOULD say. _

_I want to be his friend for real now. And I wish to see Haru again!_

Haru continued to consume more pages. All of the entries were brief and full of hope. The more she read, the more did she see just how terrible her choice was.

_I actually killed my 3__rd__ opponent, and I still can't stop shaking when my hands scoop up the blood. _

_I'm really scared. I'm so, so scared because I might turn into someone who'd relish this as time wears on in finding my brother. I pray I'll find him before I lose my mind._

_Gokudera and I shared stories today. His boss and his friend appear like nice people!_

_I wonder how Haru's doing. I hope she's not being stubborn. Sigh._

She continued to pore through each page. She laughed as she saw one entry.

_Gokudera told me a story of the first time he ever cried. He was four and strolling with his mom on the streets when he saw a kitten. When he tried to touch it, the kitten bit his hand. He was laughing as he told me the story._

_I wish Haru's here. She'd be laughing to see Gokudera's acting. :D_

It was amazing. Gokudera and Kyoko… the two people she knew as polar opposites… were actually sharing stories. He must be comfortable trading conversations with her.

Haru felt a little envious. It's already been three months, and there's barely any progress in her relationship with him.

She continues to read. She then learns that Gokudera divulges his past to Kyoko, and how they'd often sleep in one bed, with Gokudera carrying Haru's friend due to failing health.

_I never tell Gokudera-kun, but I know that probably a month from now, I'm going to die._

_And I'm scared. I'm so, so scared of dying. I hate myself for wanting Gokudera-kun's immunity. I want to live still, and it's not just because I want to find onii-chan and reunite with Haru._

_I want to be by Gokudera-kun's side as well. I want to hold his warm hands and to lean on him whenever I try not to cry. I want him to escape with me. He's now such an important person to me. I want to tell him so bad._

_I wish I was never this selfish. I just want to live for his sake now- not for onii-chan's or Haru's. Dammit all._

Haru stared at the entry. She never saw Kyoko cry. She was always so positive. She never wore a frown. To see her writing this stuff… it felt unreal.

_Gokudera-kun had let me sleep in his bed again. I can't stop my tears. I'm going to my Flame Charade's match in four days' time. I can barely walk or move my arms. I know that match will be my last._

_And my opponent… god, it makes me so, so afraid. I want to die now rather than face that person._

_I'm glad he let me cry on his shoulder. I just can't stop myself. Everything's crashing down. I know I won't be able to see onii-chan or Haru again. I won't be with Gokudera-kun anymore._

_I want to say goodbye to them- a proper adieu._

_**~X~**_

_Gokudera-kun and I finally saw the outside. And it's messed up. Just grey and black. The only color left was the castle bloody walls._

_Tomorrow. It's tomorrow. I'll die without seeing Haru or onii-chan._

_And yet I still find it ok. I don't know why, but when I'm sleeping on Gokudera-kun's chest, I can still cling on._

_This will be my last entry. I'm glad I was able to talk to you, diary. I want to say so much more, but Gokudera-kun hates it when he hears noise. I might not be able to write more because I'd be busy crying._

_Tomorrow, my voice might choke up, or I might be too weak to even speak. I won't be able to actually thank Gokudera-kun for sticking with me till I go._

_But it's ok. At least I gave him my earring. With that, I know he'll keep my memory alive. He'll be able to find Haru and onii-chan. He'll be able to tell them that I love them and I'll watch over them for the rest of their lives._

_Bye then! _

_And yeah, tell Gokudera-kun I'm in love with him! Hope you don't mind. :-)_

Haru continued to flip at the pages.

The crystals just streak past her eyes and fall as droplets on the later pages.

_I love you._

_I'm sorry._

_I love you._

_I'm sorry._

_I love you._

_I'm sorry._

_I love you as well._

_I'm sorry._

_Please come back._

_I love you too, ok?_

_Please come back._

_I'm sorry._

_Please come back._

_**I love you.**_

_**I'm sorry.**_

_**Please?**_

In every page after her entry, there were scribbles that cramp up each page in small spidery writing. All of them fitted the page and tried to fill it all with ink.

She flips. Two pages… five… ten… fifteen… thirty… all of them were written with confessions and more apologies.

All of them…

She had seen Gokudera writing on the book every night when he finishes reading.

Since he found it probably, he had been writing these things… these _feelings_ he never came to bring across.

Gokudera acted really strange at the mention of Kyoko's name.

The writings on Kyoko's diary proved he treasured her a lot.

_I love you._

_I'm sorry._

_I fucking screwed up._

_I want to die._

_Can you let me?_

She looked at the final words on the last page he had written. A tiny gasp escaped her lips.

_No…_

She took the remote for the projector and pressed the button.

_Does Gokudera really want to lose this much?_

**~X~**

**Present-**

Was he ready?

He had been asking this question in every Charade for a year now.

_Was he really ready?_

The dark small room he was confined in didn't make him claustrophobic.

It was just his conscience as always.

He asks that question to survive another day. Often his answer was 'who cares?' and he lets his bombs do the talking.

Now his answer was a question mark.

He looks at his hands as they begin to sweat. He had been waiting for this day to happen. Justice was just unsheathing his blade to take vengeance.

And yet his knees couldn't stop shaking. The cold hard truth called justice was knocking at his door.

He should've forgotten that awful memory rather than remember it every single fucking day for the rest of his life. The wall clock in front of him gave him more agony. He dreaded each tick and he just wanted things to just get on already.

He should've apologized to that idiot girl and elaborated. He should've told her that Kyoko-

"It's tiiiiiiiiiimmmme!" he heard a voice proclaim in malicious excitement from the metal door that opened from behind him.

"Right," Gokudera said dully, staggering to stand. It was the first time he found it difficult to move his legs or remain indifferent about the match he'll be fighting in.

He was ashamed to admit it, but he was afraid. Not of the opponent he was going to face, but of the memory he couldn't erase.

The light flooded inside the arena. Roars from the illusionary crowd all around the dome he was going to battle in didn't deafen him.

He wished it was all dark. The light just reminded him of the sun. _That sun. Her._

Now he was stepping on the small stairs leading up to a boxing ring. The ropes were embedded with lightning flames. The cheers from the crowd the stupid Crimson Castle feigned for his convenience seemed so distant.

Now he was on a corner with eyes closed.

Just how much more time till the bell rings?

"Open your eyes."

Kyoko had often told stories about herself, and the people important to her- Haru and her brother.

She was often glowing with pride of how loving a brother she had. She'd joke that he and his sister Bianchi would be a good couple.

"Open them and_ look at me_."

_Gokudera-kun, both you and onii-chan are alike. Sure, you two can be hot-headed but in the end, both of you treasure your loved ones greatly._

_Gokudera-kun, I wonder when I'd be able to see him._

_Gokudera-kun, when we finally get out of here, will you come with me and onii-chan?_

_Psh. Why can I still hear your voice at times like this? _He chuckled to himself and opened his eyes.

There on the other corner was his opponent. Gokudera smirked at the irony.

This twist has never felt so sweet.

**~X~**

**Present-**

"Haru-san, are you alright?"

"I'm so glad it's you," Haru replied, relieved that Gamma was able to come on time. Quickly she shuffled to her bed and clicked on the projector.

Earlier she thought she was seeing things.

The second push of the button falsified it.

"What am I supposed to see, Gamma-san?" she grinned despite the shock gnawing her.

"It's Gokudera-kun and… a Sun Flame user?" Gamma said, patting her head. "Don't worry. Gokudera-kun will win. He often does."

"The person he's facing his Kyoko's brother," Haru murmured.

"What? Is that person…"

"Yes, it was his first room mate," she couldn't believe her nonchalance at the things she's spouting. This was confusing. Why the hell was she supposed to see this? What was Gokudera implying?

Confusion… Apprehension… what was she supposed to feel between the two?

"**I ASKED THEM. YOU WERE HER ROOM MATE." **Ryohei's voice felt nostalgic. It's been a long time since he was taken to the Crimson Castle just because he pulled out a turnip so they could eat.

She can still remember how close Kyoko and Ryohei were, to the point nearly of reading each other's thoughts. They were probably like that since they were orphaned when Kyoko was born.

Does Ryohei know the truth?

She bit her lip as she kept on watching.

Gokudera stood there, impassively and dismissively at him with bored eyes. They were the same eyes he would use whenever he'd look at her. She wondered how they'd look when they were gazing at Kyoko.

The bell rung.

Gokudera continued to stare, even as Ryohei's fist slammed onto his face, knocking him to the floor.

Gokudera stood up, a bruise visible on his right cheek.

Another blow came cruising to his stomach, sending him to the ropes. Just like that, one more fist lunged to his chest. This time, Gokudera's eyes widened; he probably felt that.

He fell to the ground. Blood flowed from his mouth as he tries to stand.

And for the first time, Haru noticed that Gokudera was trembling.

He stands up again, shaking violently as a quick hook and a combination of blows just continued to knock him back and forth.

"Why is he not fighting back?" Gamma asked out loud. "Normally he'd take the initiative but now he's not even showing a flame-"

"I think I know why," Haru whispered, tears flowing from her eyes so suddenly as the revelation hit her. "He's scared."

"But his opponent is a mere Sun flame user-"

"Ryohei-san's not just that," Haru whispered in monotone. "He's an important person to Kyoko-chan. That's why he can't face him properly."

"What's so important-"

"He was in love with her!" she snapped. "And he- he- killed her."

**~X~**

**Present-**

"Stand up."

_Onii-chan's very fair. Even when he's facing a dirty guy, he'd fight with no hidden tricks and with his foe standing. He won't hit him if he's not._

"I said stand up you bastard! Fight me like a man!"

He was just like what Kyoko described him to be. Such a noble bigshot.

It disgusted him. He had no right to be treated that way.

He remained sitting on a corner, both feet refusing to move.

He laughed to himself. It was already thirty minutes and he's already unable to even look at him because of the pain.

He felt really tipsy. Just one more punch, maybe, and he'd finally be able to stop trembling.

Ryohei Sasagawa hoisted him suddenly at the back of his shirt and made him land on both feet.

Gokudera wobbled a little, but he stood up. Startled, he stared and finally looked at him properly. He was stocky, robust and didn't seem like a Sun Flame user. He didn't look like Kyoko who aged a lot in a span of a year. He looked battle-worn, with a gash on a side of his face, but he still looked young.

He was either immune or a sun flame master to have a body like that.

Gokudera waited for the _coup de grace_.

What came was a pat on the head.

"I'm Kyoko's brother. Do you know that?" he said, stunning him further. His tone… wasn't hostile.

He nodded mutely. This was the thing he didn't expect. He was waiting for wild justice to come and kill him.

"Good! I thought I was extremely gonna use my mouth to explain."

Wait- what was this?

"I killed her. You're supposed to kill me."

"What?! You thought I'd fight you for revenge?! Nah, I just wanted to talk."

He then flashed a cheeky grin.

"Why then did you have to punch me a lot?"

"Just for show."

Tch. He reminded her of that idiot hag, who'd probably be having the same quizzical expression as he.

"You're mad. You should be beating the hell out of me because I killed her."

"Hmm? No way, to the extreme!" he said, crossing his arms together. "Come to think of it… I would've done that a year ago... now though, no!"

"You're mad… Dammit, you're the same as that Miura-"

"AH! You know Haru?!"

"She's my room mate." _Dammit, my feet are too weak now._

The smile on his face faded. "And… she's here to search for me and Kyoko, I presume?"

"Tch. Yeah. You're like three idiots that always like sticking together. It pisses me off, truthfully," he grumbled. "Wait… would the Charade people be furious because we're not fighting?"

"Oh them? I'll pummel them to the extreme if they try. I defeated a couple of those pet competitors of theirs so they'll know a thing or too. I'm strong you know!"

_Duh. You broke half my ribs. _Gokudera sighed.

Ryohei then sat down, stretched his legs and faced the light above. "You could sit you know. I want to talk."

Gokudera was assuaged as he did. Most of his injuries hurt a little, but he didn't whimper.

"What did Kyoko look like? Did she become really pretty (like how extremely handsome I am)?"

It disturbed him. Ryohei was like a manly Kyoko. He was kind and at the same time a little tough.

"She couldn't utilize her Sun flames. She became old in a matter of months."

"Damn. She can't control it like mine… But before that I guess she grew into a pretty woman, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she did…" he confessed.

"And you liked her, don't you?"

"What the fuck?" He instantly saw through it?

"It's extremely obvious man. If you didn't then you would've fought back."

"Did I really become that easy to read?"

Ryohei gave a booming laugh. Suddenly, Gokudera felt at ease. He had the same aura as hers.

"I'm extremely glad… she met you. If she didn't, maybe she wouldn't have accepted death as easily like that."

"You make it sound like a good thing…" Gokudera looked down. The memory of her death was still clear. Her blood… her eyes… her voice… "She had a reason to live, unlike me. She desperately wanted to see you and that girl."

"Judging by how you call her to the extreme, you still can't move on, huh?"

"The f-! H-how do you know these kinds of stuff?"

"Blame that guard Lussuria. He creeps me out because he gives such good love tips. I had a girlfriend once, and I only realized she liked me a lot thanks to Luss."

Gokudera face palmed. This guy can easily see through him, just like his sister and it annoys him greatly.

"You should be nice to Haru-chan. She's a nice person. She can be extreme at times, but when she has a friend, she'd definitely fight for that person."

Gokudera looked at his hand. It's been hard for him to understand her. And on the day she first said Kyoko's name, he did not know how to act around her.

"I wish I became a good big brother even till the very end. Even now, I still can't avenge her. She'd probably come back from the grave and blame me for doing so."

Ryohei looked emptily at his right fist before grinning at Gokudera again.

"I guess I have to die now. My flames can't handle keeping me in this state much longer. Give me the mercy kill, would you?"

"I should've died instead."

"STOP. BLAMING. YOURSELF," Ryohei punctuated. "I already pummeled you to satisfy the evil little voice inside my head. Just do it, to the extreme."

"Well I-"

"I'd extremely punch you if you don't do it now. You are a man. Handle it like a man. Kill me. Please…"

Tears well up from his eyes.

"I know that this is a selfish wish, but can you let me see Kyoko again?"

Gokudera bit his lip and took a deep breath to stop himself from hitting Ryohei. Goddammit, why won't he go to hell instead first? Why were these people still letting him live?

He closed his eyes and concentrated. When he opened them his hands were now encased in flames. He shaped them up, as if he was holding a spear.

"Bring it, I'm going to face it like a man, to the extreme!" Ryohei said.

Gokudera tried to stifle every cell of bitterness and guilt he had with a scream as he struck.

And then everything went black.

**~X~**

**Past-**

Her smile was so beautiful.

Even as he had let the arrow drive into her heart, she was still breathtaking. Even if she looked ancient and worn, she was still that pretty apple.

She gasped at first, the flowers of the world they were living in twirled and surrounded her as she fell. The sky was blue and the earth was green and full of flora.

It was a beautiful lie, as always.

He caught her just in time. That arrow was just an assurance. He thought she would dodge it. It was so easy to dodge.

Yet she took it full on.

Her chest rose and fell as she touched his face one last time.

"Shh… don't cry."

Gokudera hated it that he obeyed. Her eyes closed and her hand fell, but he still obeyed. She was dead. She was freaking dead and he still obeyed.

Dammit.

**~X~**

**Present-**

Gamma didn't need to compose Haru.

Haru didn't expect it coming. She didn't expect that sight. More so, she didn't expect that Ryohei would forgive Gokudera that easily.

She didn't even expect herself to just stay put there, except when she said goodbye to Gamma.

Even as Gokudera arrived three hours later, she didn't move from that corner on her side of the window.

An uneasy silence filled the place once he entered and sat on his bed.

He didn't actually recline. He merely sat. And waited.

No one broke the ice for an hour. Gokudera yawned and let his head drop to the pillow.

"I'm going to sleep. 'Night."

She didn't answer as she looked at the window.

"Hmm. You're too cracked up to even reply? Odd."

There was no reply from the person beside the looking-glass.

"You can rage at me if you want. I mean, I did it already to the two people who're important to you. If you can kill me then feel free."

Haru secured her sleeve and stared at the night. It was raining after the rainbow disappeared earlier.

"You're not talking. What is wrong with you?"

"And what do you want me to say?!" Haru finally screamed as she stood up. "I can't even get mad at you! I can't even find any reason to kill you because Kyoko-chan and Ryohei-san didn't mind _you killing them_!"

Gokudera stood up as well.

"What is fucking wrong with all of you?! At least be angry towards me! I screwed up, okay?! All the time I see you people dying and yet you-!"

**SMACK!**

Haru shot him a look of despair as she lowered her hand.

"We don't mind because we _love you_, Gokudera-kun." She began to shiver all over. It hurts to say those words. She only knew him for a couple of months and for her to say those words- to use those precious words and use _them_ to portray her feelings- "I even don't mind if I die by your hand. Can't you see that?"

Gokudera was shaking as he touched his cheek. It was the same spot where Bianchi had slapped him.

"I don't know why I want to live. If I die, I can join them. But I don't want to. I don't want to ever to."

What a fool she was. What a coward she was.

"I want to help you, Gokudera-kun. I want to be of use to you. Why can't you see that?"

She wasn't crying as she said those words.

"All I wanted was to be your friend. All this time, Gokudera-kun, since the day we met. That's all."

But Gokudera was.

He was so blind. These people were kind to him because they knew he needed help. They know that he was fucked up and they want to turn him around.

And they were so selfish at the same time.

All he wanted was to die.

But if he died, then he probably wouldn't be able to meet these people.

He wouldn't be appreciating what a beautiful world this was_. He wouldn't be happy dying without fulfillment._

He couldn't still remember the words the Tenth last said.

And as much as possible he wanted to grant his request.

He snapped back. The girl was hugging him. She was taking him in, and actually letting him sob on her shoulder.

He disobeyed Kyoko by crying. And yet, somehow those tears relieved him and stirred the very depths of his troubled soul.

He simpered for the first time since Kyoko's death as he tried to reciprocate the embrace.

"Then please be my friend."

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p><em>And… for the list of diseases!<em>

_**Storm**__- degradation of the body. Burning flames beginning from the inside until it spreads to turn your body to ash. I had made this already for Bianchi's death. Unfortunately, it got deleted in my flash drive._

_**Rain**__- Freezing and eventual cracking of the body. Your body will slowly freeze up and your skin will begin to crack until your body itself shatters.__**Lightning**__- Body will eventually lose its nervous system control. You won't be able to use your five senses... your body will not be able to move... you will die without feeling anything. Worse than most of the diseases to be mentioned._

_**Sun**__- Over regeneration of the body; you will age faster than those without it. Victim will last probably 10 years upon catching this disease. People will think they died at 90._

_**Cloud**__- Body parts will multiply, including internal organs and will continue to grow/multiply until the body itself explodes (can't translate,lol) from too much. Hibari will/will not be mentioned having this disease. My problem is if I will make the chapter I already posted split up into more parts._

_**Mist**__- Body parts/internal organs will disappear. Victim will die depending on what body part (lungs, brain, heart) will go first.__  
><em>_**  
><strong>__**Sky**__- The worst of the worst. Your body will have the combination of ALL DISEASES._


	3. Three Times Lightning Struck

_In the dark,_

_he bites at my nipple_

_miscalculates,_

_and bites at my heart_

_-poem_

_**~X~**_

**Future?**

It was nearing night time. Haru notices this and pulls on Gokudera's coat.

"Should we take a breather now? I don't think it's good that we travel at night. We still don't know what's out there," she nudges out the window and at the small patches of green littering the field. The sky was a powdery blue hazed in grey.

"Here?" Gokudera looks at the filthy interior of what used to be a kitchen in front of them. The long musty table's edible contents already rotted away a long time ago. Not even ants and spiders lingered for long. He snaps his fingers and small flames began appearing at the corners.

"Is there a room we can sleep in?" Haru inquires as they exit the room. Gokudera absent-mindedly snaps his fingers and soon the whole building was enveloped in light.

"There's a bunker where the Tenth used to sleep," he says and swiftly leads the way up the rust-eaten ladder. To the right was a small room which had a big musty yet comfortable looking bed. Gokudera shuffles through the shelves and takes out a dirty looking frame.

"This was the Tenth's dad," he says quietly as he lets scarlet flames gnaw through the dust. Haru looks at the picture. There were three people who looked to be in their better days. He pointed at the middle, where a man with hair like golden fire was roaring with laughter. They seemed to be in a beach. By his right, a girl with hair and eyes the color of Gokudera's was also grinning as she attempts pressing a beach ball to the man's chest. By his left was a guy with long ashen blonde hair and closed eyes attempting to push the others out off the picture.

"I-is this your mom?" Haru points at the woman. Gokudera nods almost languidly.

"They founded my clan. Mom already left it when she bore me," he says. "I never got to meet any of them. The other man- Basil supposedly wrote a journal about how this clan was established in the first place. It's here somewhere," he steals a glance at the shelves. "He died before my mother got pregnant with me." He returns the frame back and scrimmages across a stack of books. "He also wrote a novel. You know, about us. Giotto-san, the Tenth's dad, always read it to us every night."

He takes a black leather-bound book and a small blue notebook from the shelf.

"Do you want me to read it to you?" he says as he opens the notebook.

Haru nods. A quick thought then flashes across her mind as she eyes the two tomes. "Uhm, Gokudera-kun?"

"What?" he says as he plops himself at the edge of the bed. A flame spurts by his right, close to the book.

"Why did you burn Kyoko-chan's journal?" she says, looking at him hesitatingly. "Y-you loved her, didn't you?"

"I almost forgot you read the damn thing," he sighs, half smiling as he rubs the bed. Flames also begin to disintegrate the dust in every inch. "It was better that way." He looked at the journal with a childish wonder she never saw him have. "I guess there are some memories that are better to left behind to let new ones in, right?" he looks at her and motions her beside him.

Haru smiles warmly as she pecks him on the cheek.

_**~X~**_

**-Present.**

Gokudera was still staring at the book on his left hand as Haru presses the door closed outside.

Gamma was there already with his crooked smile. "No 'see you later'?"

"No need," Haru said dryly. "He's brooding over the journal again. If he wasn't in the mood he'd be arguing with me again over whose bottle was whose."

"I thought after three weeks you'd finally start warming up. He _did say _he wanted to be friends with you, didn't he?"

Haru merely looked at her feet as they walked in the immaculate white hallway. "We're just too alike. We get mad at the smallest of things and we can't let go of our pasts. Kyoko-chan just… she complemented him perfectly. I can't be like her."

"And you **are **not her," Gamma said matter-of-factly. "You should stay true to yourself. Since both of you are birds of the same feather, it'll be easier."

"I'm sorry for being so pessimistic, but I'm sure it'll take awhile."

"What's important is persistence. He can't be cold to you for long," he says encouragingly. They then turn to the left before stopping at another white door. "We're here."

"Umm… are you sure we're not being followed?" Haru looks at the small video camera behind her.

"Nah, the place is rigged. Illusions everywhere. Even when I left my place to pick you up. He knows how lethal this gathering will be so he knows the precautions to be made."

"I trust you," Haru says as she smiles at Gamma. He winks as he knocks the door smartly.

A girl with short red hair eyes them from behind.

"Password?" she says huskily.

"You really have to ask that from a regular, M.M?" Gamma sighs.

"Just say it you smarmy bastard," she presses indignantly.

"Ok. 'Mukuro-sama is my leader."

"And?"

"He's our glorious Messiah who will set us free."

"And? Fuck you, just spit everything out."

"My vows for him are my own and will never be broken. To die is gain for the beautiful Mukuro-sama."

"If you say it half-heartedly again I will vaporize you," she said coolly. "Who's the chick? Your wife?"

"I already told you my wife died before I even got here," he rubs his nape. "Haru-chan's a friend who wants in."

"Let her talk to Mukuro-sama first," M.M waves off before fully opening the door. Haru follows Gamma inside to see a room bathed in blue light. She notices that transparent indigo flames were dancing in her every step. The place was packed with people talking to each other in low tones.

"Gamma-san, you never told me you had a wife," Haru tells him.

"Let's leave it another time," he says as he strides quickly forward. "What's vital for now is you get to join us."

"I-I never thought that we prisoners could band together," Haru whispers as she slips across the throngs of people with Gamma.

"Really now?" he chuckles. "Would you be content to stay here dreading death?"

"Kufu~ I highly doubt she would want that," says a man in front of them. Both yelp in surprise.

"Mukuro-sama!"

"Almighty Mukuro-sama!"

"Mukuro-sama…"

One by one each and everyone began bowing at the tall man. Slowly and one by one the pale flames then began encircling the man. Haru gasped along with the others when the light finally showed him fully.

He was tall and sallow-faced with mismatched eyes resembling glowing jewels; one was a beautiful glinting sapphire while the other was a passionate ruby. His hair swished in a ponytail down his slender back. His smile was both kind and haughty-looking

"What is your name?" he said in a soothing voice that made her heart spark.

"M-Miura Haru," she stammered.

He extended his hand and smiled at her gently. "Rokudo Mukuro."

When she looked up, she noticed his peculiar pineapple shaped haircut. She has seen this before…

"I do so hope you'll be able to find inner peace within yourself, Miura Haru," he whispers before turning to everyone. "Sit," he says in that deep alluring voice of his. Small cushions suddenly appeared at the ground. Gamma and Haru sat by his feet.

Haru's eyes glinted when she looked at Mukuro. She had never encountered a man like him before. Except for Gamma maybe but Mukuro…

"My friends, my brothers and sisters…" he pauses as he looks at everyone's eyes (according to Haru) before continuing. "I thank you once more for coming here in my humble abode. To begin may I ask everyone with trouble to please come forward? I need you to…."

**~X~**

"He called us one by one to tell him our troubles. To think he'd know all our names… he even remembered me mind you!"

"How many were you?" Gokudera interrupts, looking bored as he conjures flames from his forefinger.

"Umm… about thirty maybe…"

"Is that guy even nuts? Banding you together when you'll eventually kill each other in the end-"

"He knows that! That's why we had Asura sessions. So we'd be able to reflect our past actions and then we'd give each other advice on what action to take. It looks rather effective. And Mukuro-sama was really nice. You should come too."

"Like hell do I need those stupid sessions! I don't trust that bastard."

"Why do you say that?"

"He's an Illusionist. That's more than enough. Silver-tongued bastards let their words mask their intentions. I've worked with more than enough illusionists in my lifetime to know that."

"Maybe that's what I need."

"You stupid bitch-"

"No, Gokudera-san. All I've been hearing from you for the past two years since we've met was cynicism. I never heard of hope from you ever."

"And you would let that false hope from your Mukuro-sama blind you?"

"Maybe I will. Look, it's just…" she finally stands up and looks at Gokudera determinedly. "When I'm with him and the others, I feel like there's a reason for me to live and die. I-I feel that I'm no longer afraid to get killed by even one of them."

"Gawd, you should honestly hear yourself-"

"Say what you will. Mukuro-sama said that most of my brothers and sisters were as pessimistic as you were. But they began donning their rainbows and hope for greener pastures on the other side of our lives."

"All this talk will get us nowhere. I'm gonna sleep."

"Good night, Gokudera-san."

Haru proceeds to push the button beside the door to dim the light.

"I don't think you should trust that Mukuro too much," she hears Gokudera say. "I've read how groups like that- cults I suppose- end up using its followers' lives."

"I hope you're wrong," Haru says cheerfully. "There's just something about it that makes me feel like I belong there. It's like… I'm back at my old clan."

"Tch. Whatever. Just don't rope me in the mess you'll be in eventually. The last thing I need to do is bow down and smell that Mukuro's socks or something."

"You're exaggerating it!"

**~X~**

In a few months' time however, Gokudera's words were not that too far from the truth. Mukuro had already fully won her over after a month and a month after, she was the one now opening and closing the weekly Asura sessions.

One day as Haru was the last to leave, Mukuro beckoned her forward to sit beside her.

"I am astonished, Haru Miura," he says as his flames danced around them like twittering birds. "At how you go here to help us prepare early and leave last in every session."

Haru turns pink. "I have nothing to do anyway, Mukuro-sama. My roommate and I never get to talk much plus helping you is one big honor from me."

"Really… Kufufu~" he chuckles as the fire birds disappear one by one in a puff of smoke. "I thank you then, Miura Haru."

"I-It's nothing, Mukuro-sama! I'll do anything to make sure-"

"Who is your room mate then? Has he passed on?"

"Oh… it's Gokudera. I just know his surname since Gamma doesn't use his first name. H-he's still alive, Mukuro-sama."

"Hmm… have you asked this Gokudera if he wanted to join us?"

"Haru has been trying for several weeks but he refuses to go." She made sure to remove the part where Gokudera often yells what a pretentious crazy halfwit Mukuro was.

"Really now?" he raises an eyebrow. She shuffles further away.

"I-I'll make sure he comes around, Mukuro-sama. I'll be taking my leave then." She attempts a clumsy bow and almost shuffles out when she feels something warm pressing her shoulder.

"Little one, you can stop persuading him. It is his choice if he wants to join us. Off you go then."

She pauses as she turns around. Mukuro had already raised his hand away and was looking at the trident in his hand somewhat impassively. A trident that somewhat reminds her of-

"Mukuro-sama, is that Chrome-san's?"

There was a shadow that fleetingly left his gaze the moment he uttered yes.

"Gokudera Hayato killed her, no?" he asked, his tone almost playful.

"Was she a roommate of yours?"

"Possibly the last one, yes."

"And did you love her?"

His smile stiffened.

"I wanted her to live. But there's nothing I can do about it now. A member of ours was kind enough to get this trident back, at the cost of his blood."

"I'm sorry."

"Kufufu~ you have chosen the wrong words to honor our comrade."

"It's not that. I'm sorry you had to lose her."

"It's one unwritten world in this world we have to abide in. She was a fragile little dandelion. You can take your leave now, Haru Miura. We have wasted too much words over the fallen. That is taboo in this dying world. Until tomorrow."

"Good night, Mukuro-sama."

**~X~**

She knocked precariously by Gamma's door after making sure Gokudera was busy staring at his notebook again.

"Gamma-san? It's Haru."

"You shouldn't be moving much. I've already told you there's still a match tomorrow-"

"It's about Mukuro-sama. Umm, how long did our gathering existed?"

"Hm… It's been two years I think."

"And did you know Chrome Dokuro?"

"She was his roommate. Have you asked Mukuro-sama about this?"

"I just found out when I saw the trident."

"They were betrothed to each other. The Rainbow Incident crushed everything."

"When this castle appeared?"

"Yup. They were childhood friends."

She stared at her dress and at the bed. Gamma assisted her to sit on one.

"That's all you came her for? You could've asked me to go there instead of crippling you further. You could also have left the session sooner instead of helping out-"

"Mukuro-sama must be sad."

"If he is, he doesn't show it."

"I bet he is… like Gokudera-san."

Gamma nodded.

"Showing weakness isn't a guy thing," he explains as he pats her head gently and sits beside her. "And those kinds of stuff are common in Flame Charades. It wouldn't surprise me if both of you end up facing each other in the end."

"And who will you be rooting for?" Haru asks, trying to add lightness in her voice unsuccessfully.

Gamma smiles.

"I'm betting on the girl to _live_ this time."

**~X~**

Gokudera was still looking at the notebook when she returned. That was her surprise.

What surprised him though, was the hug she gave him.

"Before hitting me, I want to apologize."

"Damn right you should," he said in disgust before pushing her away. "What was that for?"

Haru just stared at him before sliding a few inches away.

"I judged your taking of Kyoko's death rather shallowly. I guess I've been far too used to killing people, I've forgotten how it really feels like to kill someone you love."

He raised an eyebrow at her before turning away. "Go back to your bed."

"Can I look at you?"

"Fine."

"I'm sorry about this," she whispers as her eyes squint to get a clearer look at his emerald eyes that pincer what she calls her soul; his pronounced frown that never seemed to smile (did it move even a little at Kyoko's gaze?); his pale skin; his ruffled silver hair that nary looked clean-cut…

She felt a pressing sensation in her stomach and bile rising through her throat.

"What's this for?"

"I just have this feeling. I might not see you this way again," she musters a cheerful smile before standing up and limping to her bed.

He says nothing as his hands try fishing out the journal again.

"Chrome-san was supposed to be Mukuro-sama's fiancée."

"Too bad for him."

"That's a mean thing to say. As expected."

"It was her fault for not even trying to fight back."

"Was it Kyoko-chan's fault too then?"

His hands stopped searching for the journal. She didn't know what hit her as his hands now tightened their grip at her throat.

"You know nothing, you noisy little bitch," he utters through gritted teeth. "Get the fuck out."

"Kill me then like you did with the others who attempted to pry," she murmured as she choked. "Or too chicken to because I'm her friend?"

"You fucking-"

She then yanks the invisible strings she wrapped at his wrists. He immediately lets go as blood dripped around his hand like scarlet bracelets.

"I love Kyoko-chan more than you ever will!" she says before gasping lungfuls of air. "And instead of making her feel sad by mourning for her, I've decided to keep on living." The pain of Gokudera's grip still hasn't left. "Because that would be what she damn wants!"

With that, she slams the door and bursts into tears as she knocks on Gamma's, coming sooner than expected.

**~X~**

"Haru-chan?"

"G-Gamma-kun? You're there, right?"

"H-How many fingers?"

"Umm… well I knew it."

"You can't see?"

"Unfortunately, haha. I thought it was gonna suck too. I'm quite surprised, you know."

She could hear Gamma's impatient feet circling around her bed.

"How long was I asleep since the match?"

"Two days." His footsteps still hasn't ceased. "You know what, maybe we should get Gokudera-"

"Leave him. I don't want to _see_ him… HAHAHAHA. Oh my gosh, I _can't_ see him so HAHAHA-"

"It's not exactly funny Haru-chan."

Haru stopped laughing and tried to imagine where Gamma would be sitting.

"Umm… it's fine. I knew this was going to happen anyway. My body is weak to withstand the disease. You can just tell me where I would comb my hair or where the doors are."

"Haru-chan… I've been blind for two months before we've met. My ears are no longer functioning either. I've only got my sense of touch left."

"Oh. So… communicating with me…"

"All in your head. It's all through telepathy. I've been only mouthing the words. I've had holes under my shoes so I can sense where the solid objects are."

"That's so cool Gamma-san! Can you teach me then?"

"But you don't have your sense of touch anymore, right?"

"T-Then just the telepathy thingy! Oh, the other members will be so impressed with the mind talking-"

"Haru-chan."

She tried looking up at the direction of the voice.

"You've only got your sense of hearing left, right?"

"I think so…? I can still smell things though."

"Christ…"

Suddenly she could hear heavy breathing close to her left ear and her chest and tummy constricting.

"A-are you hugging me, Gamma-san?"

"The last thing that usually disappears is your voice."

"Well that's good. At least I'll crow until I die."

She felt heavier and soon she was gasping for air as she imagines his arms wrapping much tighter around her.

"Gamma-san?"

"I'm getting Gokudera. I'll try stopping him from getting furious with you from now on."

"It's only been less than a week! He's obviously still mad."

"You don't have much time left to let it all pass anyway. Stay here."

And with that, she heard the metallic slam of the door.

**~X~**

When Gokudera opened the door, Gamma's fist was within reach to hit him squarely in the face. He made his entrance, closing the door quickly as Gokudera backtracked in shock.

"Couldn't wait for the match, could we?" he sneered as his nose began to bleed. He raised his fists and Gamma could see the scars from Haru's strings. "I'm ok with brawls."

"It does fit you more, punk!" Gamma says as his arms snap to a jab that Gokudera avoids, and then a cross to his bloody nose, sending him reeling. "Talking wouldn't make my point through. It's better _pounding them in_." With that, he sends a kick through his opponent's stomach, who crumbles the blow.

Gokudera immediately avoids his straight and lands an upper to Gamma's chin before sending in a right. "Then what is your point?" he pants as he attempts to wipe his blood away. Gamma was on his knees now, struggling to stand. "This is the first time I see you getting flustered. What did the bitch tell you this time?"

Gamma spits out the blood he got from biting his tongue at the right and elbows his ribs, sending out a cracking sound. He proceeds with punching his liver and then his chin, but not before getting kneed at the stomach.

"Apologize and take her back here. You are not a kid anymore. You are a man, for Pete's sake." he said with such firmness not even Gokudera's hook to his left jaw deterred him.

"Just because you were a dad doesn't mean you can boss me around!" he seethed as he attempts to land more blows, only for Gamma to counter him full-on and sending him sprawling to the ground and losing a tooth.

"You stupid kid!" Gamma said with such authority Gokudera's head bowed a little. "She had been trying her best to stick up to you. Even when you killed her supposed sister, she selflessly forgave you."

"And what do you fucking care?!" Gokudera screamed as he landed a roundhouse to his face. "You have no fucking right to talk to me like that- not after you killed your room mate- not after you killed her with no fucking remorse-"

Gamma's eyes darkened. For the first time, his opponent felt a chill he had never experienced since being imprisoned inside the castle's crimson walls, and as Gamma lunged in for the kill, all Gokudera could do was hide his face with his arms only-

"I loved her."

Gokudera looked at him, wearing the same face as he did with Ryohei's at that time. Gamma's fist was raised inches from his own face. His attacker turned away. A voice inside him was telling him it was now his chance to kill him once and for all, but he waved it away.

It was, after all, the first time he had ever seen a grown man grieve.

"She was the only precious inkling of the past I had left. I know I can never return to it now."

Gokudera stood up.

"Your friend, Haru, cares for you much more than you'll ever think. She often tells me how much a pain of an ass you are, but she's willing to give that pain of an ass a chance."

He stares at Gamma, who was cradling an orange flower-shaped necklace trapped under his sleeve.

"She reminds me of my daughter and my wife. Both of them gave me a chance, no matter how much a self-serving conman I was."

"And you'd go slugging it out just to get your point across. Then end up becoming a royal idiot," Gokudera sighed matter-of-factly. "You were wrong too. Talking left a dent on me."

"Not without a punch or two though," he pointed out, chuckling and making more blood flow from his mouth.

"Gamma, you sure you don't want to see a Sun Flame user or something?"

"I should say the same to you," Gamma says as Gokudera's nose refused to stop flushing out blood to his disdain.

"Dammit Gamma! You could've let the stupid hag talk to me instead of setting you gung-ho on me!" he said as he wiped his nose with sheets and helped Gamma out of the door.

"You wouldn't have taken her seriously anyway. She's been too perky since she woke up."

"Damn." He had to prepare himself for endless blabbering after dusk.

"And she wouldn't be able to walk to your place by herself. She just lost her eyesight in her last fight."

Gokudera didn't utter a word as Gamma gave him instructions to get themselves treated. He remembered the time when he gave her a chance to ogle at him.

She was really going to die.

**~X~**

**Future?**

Haru couldn't sleep. Gokudera was already squirming and groaning at his nightmare. Soon enough, with much hope, he'd wake up.

The sudden jerk of the sheets prompted her to the left.

Gokudera was sweating heavily as he stared at the canopy.

"I had a dream about Gamma."

"What's it about?"

"Remember when I kicked you out and Gamma had to duke it out with me so I'd listen?"

"Still reminiscing about the past?"

"He didn't tell you about his, didn't he?"

"I could care less. He didn't ask about mine."

"He held many cards to his chest."

"And I obviously don't care. He's been such a good guy-"

"He loved you."

"No duh. He was such a nice guy."

"You reminded him of his wife and daughter."

"Not the kind of love I'm expecting…"

"His wife died a year before he got captured. She was the leader of the Giglio Nero clan, one of the biggest clans during that time."

"So?"

"She had an affair. With him. Aria's husband was sterile. Gamma was the dad but he wasn't the legal father. It wasn't proper too. He was an infamous con artist, notorious even before the Rainbow Incident."

"How did his wife die?"

"She had the Sky."

"Goodness…"

"The story doesn't end there. Gamma was captured because he allegedly tried evading capture from another heist. Things calmed down when he was in the Crimson castle. But he did one unforgivable thing during his stay- he sexually assaulted his roommate and then killed her the next day- during the Flame Charade."

"I don't know what to say."

"His roommate was his ten year-old daughter. That might shut you up for good."

**~X~**

**-Present.**

"Thanks, M.M. Who knew you could channel Sun Flames too?"

"Whatevs, Gamma. Oi, can't you be grateful to me, dammit?"

Gokudera ignores her as he touches his nose.

"You ungrateful asshole!" she hollers at him. "It's a damn good thing Mukuro-sama's here, otherwise I would've disintegrated that damn nose of yours!"

"Silence, M.M," Mukuro says quietly as he peers at Gokudera, who glares back.

"You're Rokudo Mukuro? The one Miura wouldn't stop fangirling about?" he snorts, making MM clench her teeth and punch Gokudera in the shoulder.

"M.M. Gamma. Take your leave. I'll be talking with Gokudera Hayato."

"I'll be waiting outside with Haru," Gamma whispers a he follows a still fuming M.M. outside.

Mukuro closes the door and examines Gokudera from head to foot.

"Sizing me up?"

"No. I am trying to see if my hunch was right," he remarked dully as he thrusts his trident to Gokudera's heart, who immediately dodges and lets more than twenty dynamite sticks made of Storm flames burn out of thin air and aim themselves around Mukuro.

He simply chuckles as he waves his hand. They disappear to be replaced by long snakes now ready to sink their fangs at Gokudera.

"I get it. You're like me," Gokudera whistles as the snakes burst into flames.

"I always knew I'm not the only one," Mukuro titters. "And how did you find out I was immune?"

"My flames can eat through illusions," Gokudera sighs. "And so far, your organs and limbs seem intact."

"Well deduced," he smirked and circled around Gokudera. "So far then, with that lifespan of yours, you know what happens to us immune once captured inside this rubbish heap?"

"Nope," he said curtly. The way Mukuro's hair and how his lips quivered with delight as the guy spoke… he didn't like any bit of him.

"It's best not to find out," he laughs and keeps his eyes on him. It made Gokudera uncomfortable.

"And you want to recruit me? I already said no."

"If the talks bore you, that is not the main reason why I want you to go. There is one reason why I had to put up with sugary pep talks and preachy going-aways, kufu." The air of his words stained. He was, for Gokudera, revealing his true colors. "I need your strength for something bigger. Miura Haru had told me a lot of things about you."

"Forget it. If you want to instigate a rebellion, there's no way in hell can it happen."

"Oh, that is not my intention kufufu~" he said silkily. "My core plan is to escape this goddamn prison. Since you know most of the passages here, you can help make sure we'll leave the Crimson Castle in one piece."

**~X~**

"Did he plan all this?" Gokudera said indignantly once he left with Gamma and were now walking towards Gamma's bunker. "Did he order that hag to bicker with me and have you fight me?"

"Oh no, I was really furious at you two," replied Gamma pleasantly. "And I know I wouldn't be fighting you for real anyway."

"He then played the cards right, that manipulative bastard. He wanted to meet me, and by talking to Haru, knowing or at least having a clue at what I'm like, decided to fucking make her fight with me and have _you_- I'm gonna kill that damn son of a bitch-"

"We often play into his machinations, Gokudera. And you already refused him. It's nothing worth getting angry about."

"What the hell, shouldn't we be talking about this? If they find out…"

"This place until mine and yours are rigged. Fake illusions 24/7 from Mukuro-san."

"And I don't get why you still didn't think he was immune like me…" Gokudera still couldn't hide how impressed he was.

"Says the idiot who'd kick out a girl."

"Tch," he sighs before talking. "When's the plan happening?"

"It's… classified since you're not a member," Gamma smiles.

"Feh," he spats out as Gamma knocks on the door.

"Haru-chan? I'm back," he calls out before whispering at Gokudera's ear. "Just make sure you don't say anything stupid. She might end up hurting herself if she attempts attacking you."

"Great," Gokudera mutters under his breath.

"Gamma-san? Is that Gokudera-san?" she said, not masking the excitement in her voice. "Gamma-san sorry. Haru must've trashed your room but Haru managed to know at least where to move."

Both of them step inside, only to gasp in surprise at the disarray.

One bed was lying with the tip beside the other bed. Almost all the antidote bottles got smashed by the ends of the bed, soaking the sheets in purple and pink. The pillows Gamma somehow managed to procure were lying on opposite sides of the room.

Haru was part of the chaos. Her hair was as unbridled as the waves of an ocean storm while her dress was pinned on the wrong places, making her look less a girl of twenty-two and more a child of four. There were bruises visible on her arms and legs, obviously from tripping or slipping around the place.

"Haru's so sorry!" she yells and attempts to embrace Gamma but goes to Gokudera instead.

He relents and looks at her in shock.

"Gokudera-san, did Gamma-san tell you how sorry Haru is?" she says, looking at Gamma's direction.

"Uh, you got it all wrong," Gokudera said flatly. Haru squeals and presses back to Gamma.

"N-No wonder Gamma felt short- Haru's sorry Gokudera-san!" she stammers. "Haru won't do that again! U-Umm…" she attempted to shake Gokudera's hand but takes Gamma's and shakes it vigorously.

"Haru-chan, it's fine," Gamma says in a sugary voice and proceeds to hold her hand to the bed. He immediately attempts comb her hair with his hand before buttoning up her dress properly.

"Thank you, Gamma-san!" she says exuberantly. "U-Umm... Is Gokudera-san still there?"

Gokudera nods, but then remembers she couldn't see and utters 'damn right' before staring at her still.

"Haru-chan, Gokudera and I talked it over. You'll be coming back with him. He promises he won't kick you out again."

"Did he? Did he? Thank you, Gokudera-san. I promise I'll be goooooooood~" she then shuffles and attempts to touch the hem of his shirt but slips over the sheets.

Gokudera face-palms and hoists her up.

"I-Is that you, Gokudera-san?"

"Got that right. Well. See ya, Gamma." With that, he pulls her hand to hoist her up and holds it still to lead her out.

"Gokudera. Take better care of her. She's not the same Haru you know. She must've regressed back to her child personality to cope up with the shock of losing her sight."

"Thanks…" he trails off before trying to collect his emotions. This wasn't what surprised him. Haru was an idiot. This was bound to happen. What surprised him was how quiet she was once they returned to their cell and had her tucked into bed.

He was prepared for the endless nights full of chatter and cheerful stories from her, but she remained still, even on her bed.

"What did I do this time?" he sighs as he shuts Kyoko's journal and was now sitting up. "Can't sleep?"

"Does it matter, Gokudera-san?" she murmurs. "Whether Haru opens or closes her eyes, Haru can't see anything."

He wasn't able to quip anything back. This shot of cynicism coming from her wasn't usual.

"Haru realized what a nuisance she was," she said in a faraway voice. "But you don't have to worry anymore, Gokudera-san. Haru will be leaving soon." She smiles at his direction.

She had already fallen asleep. Gokudera remained speechless as he looked at Kyoko's journal.

**~X~**

"From now on, you'll be leaving with me after the sessions," Gamma said once they began walking to Mukuro's cell. Haru looked morosely down, counting the steps she made in every corner in case she gets lost.

"Okay."

"You've been awfully quiet lately. Gokudera told me you haven't told him anything for two weeks now."

"U-Umm… Gokudera-san might get mad if Haru talks while he's reading."

"He misses the noise."

"Gokudera-san said that?"

"Just a hunch. He keeps telling me how much you've changed when you started going to Mukuro-san's."

Haru simpers.

"Gamma-san… thanks for being such a good friend."

He ruffles her hair.

"No biggie. I'm just making the most of it while it lasts."

"What do you want to do once you return below? Is there still a chance for you to see your family again?" she asked innocently.

Gamma bit his lip. His expression was a swirl of indifference and uncertainty.

"I highly doubt there's anything waiting for me down there. That's why I decided to stay here."

"G-Gamma-san-"

"Haru-chan, it's ok. I've already told Mukuro-san my decision. He agreed with it in the end."

"B-But-"

"Shhh. Haru-chan, we're here."

He was holding onto her hand. Tightly.

**~X~**

"What did you talk about this time?" Gokudera asked hours later, now sitting beside Haru. She was slowly moving far from his voice. It surprised her because she felt really agitated.

"The plan. Mukuro-sama was hoping you'd help us-"

"I've already told that bastard and you that I'm not gonna come with you," he said firmly. He didn't want to shout now that she was responding to him.

"Haru apologizes-"

"Why do you keep apologizing? It's not even your damn fault you-" he had to stop himself for berating her.

"It's fine if Gokudera-san calls Haru a stupid hag," she beams at his direction. Gokudera saw nothing within her hazel irises. "Haru wouldn't be winding up Gokudera-san soon. She hasn't got much time left."

Gokudera stares at her. No matter how pure her smile was, it felt absolutely wrong.

"Maybe when Haru's gone, Gokudera-san would see Kyoko-chan now there's no one left for her to talk to."

"Miura-"

"Umm, Haru has a request."

"What?" he said quite gruffly.

"Can she borrow Kyoko-chan's journal?"

He simply takes it out of his coat and hands it to her.

Her hand fleets through the cover before peeling back to the paper.

"Somehow, Haru can sense Kyoko-chan's writing. She used Sun Flames, right?"

He said nothing as her hands try leafing through the pages.

"Haru read it during your match with Ryohei-nii. It made Haru realize… how lucky Kyoko-chan was to change Gokudera-san."

He listened intently. He couldn't talk back.

"Haru wishes she could do the same too," she says still in her chirpy voice. "But Haru failed miserably."

He placed his hands together. He couldn't say a word in debate. She was right in every way.

"All Haru did was make Gokudera remember how sad it was to lose Kyoko-chan. Haru apologizes."

But here she wasn't.

"Kyoko…" it surprised him at how he managed to utter her name after all this time. "If you hadn't made me remember, then it would be harder for me to forget."

He was beginning to understand why he was no longer writing back to Kyoko's thoughts since Haru embraced him. There was really no point.

"The regret of not telling her might stay, but the guilt's starting to disappear. I can't thank you enough for that, Miura."

Her jaw dropped. In her shock, she forgot what direction she should be facing.

"You shouldn't be thinking too much what other people think of you too. I don't think you're that much of a noisy bitch. To be honest…" he scratches his nose. "I want you to be like the Miura before."

"A-Are you really Gokudera-san?" she asked half-jokingly, closing the journal and throwing it at his direction.

He merely looks at it before tossing it to his bed.

"You stupid hag," he snarls as he attempts to tickle her.

**~X~**

Gamma began noticing that Haru's smile hasn't left her mouth for days so he asked about it one morning.

"In a good mood, eh?"

"Haru's happy because Gokudera-san's friends with her now."

"That explains it," Gamma says good-naturedly as he pats her head.

"Gokudera-san's no longer writing in Kyoko-chan's journal too," she chirps. "It's a sign, right?"

"Of what, Haru-chan?" asks Gamma in a singsong voice.

"Haru's such a bad person."

Gamma instantly locks his gaze at her. Haru's sightless eyes were focused forward. Her hands were now clawing the sheets of Gamma's bed tightly. He could feel the pain in her smile.

"Haru wants Gokudera-san to forget about Kyoko-chan. Haru hates it because she doesn't feel any guilt at all."

Gamma merely bit his lip.

"There are times when Haru wants to throw the journal away. Or tell Gokudera-san to stop talking about Kyoko-chan. I know it's a loser's thing. But Haru feels exactly that."

"It's alright, Haru."

"And Haru's only telling this to Gamma-san because she wants someone to side with her. It feels really immature."

"Haru, I'm not siding with you."

Haru tries looking at his direction.

"I'm only gonna say this once, Haru. If you want Gokudera to forget about Kyoko, you're fighting a losing battle. Her memory will never leave him."

Tears were slowly beginning to flow from her cheeks, but still Gamma continued.

"It's the same with me too. I loved the person and I killed that person instead of facing the truth. It's something I can never forget for the rest of my life."

Gamma places his hand at her left shoulder.

"Listen to me, Haru. I told you before: you are not Kyoko. You can only make him happy in your own way."

"G-Gamma-san-"

"Back then, when I opened your door for the first time, I never thought you would last this long with him. You proved me wrong. Partly, it might be because he already knew you were Kyoko's friend. But partly, it might be because you showed him kindness in your own way. Like how you did for me."

His grip loosened as he moved forward. It was acting up again. The urge. She reminded him so, so much of the people he knew so well. No way will that damn urge win again.

**~X~**

"Miura Haru, can you please leave for a moment?" Mukuro asks in syrupy politeness. "Gamma and I need to discuss about the Castle calling."

Gamma smiles mechanically at Haru. "Stay outside. This won't take long."

Once Haru shuts the door, a snarl replaced Gamma's smile.

"Why the fuck did you group her with the other disposables? Are you intending to leave her behind?"

"Kufu~ Relax, Gamma. I've made positioned her as one of our last lines of defense. She has no life left in her. You are perfectly aware of that, are you not?"

"And what of me? Am I still that fit to be with you and you damn liars-"

"_You _are the one to talk, kufu~" Mukuro says coolly. "When you made a living duping people even after you joined your clan-"

"I'm no longer one like you- I won't fucking sacrifice lives-"

"Gamma, you do not know what you're talking about," Mukuro replies, losing patience with every word falling out. "And if I let them escape, will they even have enough time to enjoy their lives below? There is no other option."

"You son of a bitch-" Gamma seethed.

Mukuro's smile merely widened. "Miura Haru reminds me of Yuni. Pray, Gamma, does Miura taste the same as Yuni? Or is she much more pleasurable, seeing as you never asked the guards to rig your next opponent to be her- kuh-"

By this time, Gamma's lightning flames surged through Mukuro, who enjoyed a brief shock of electricity before lying at the ground, still bathed in near-diabolical glee.

"Yuni, wasn't the same since I _did it_," Gamma whispered. "I had to cut her loose. Her disease was too much for her-"

"Ah, the dutiful Oedipus. Such a lovely excuse, my blood knight," Mukuro leers as he stands up. "You can take your leave. If you truly want to be with Haru Miura, then do so. You are not in luck though. It appears she is much smitten with that Gokudera Hayato."

"I know," Gamma said. "And I've accepted that already."

"Then live and find another woman."

Gamma shakes his head.

"Says the man who still keeps his lover's trident by his bed," he replies as he opens the door.

Mukuro merely laughs as he looks at the trident.

"Love-drunk fools, aren't we?" he asks it gently.

**~X~**

Haru laughs along with Gokudera as he tries impersonating Squalo.

"Vooiii! You fucking shitheads can't beat this hair!"

"You got it wrong. You should be wringing the sword about!"

Gokudera gets himself a flaming scarlet long sword and was laughing half-maniacally, half-mockingly as he waves it around.

"You know, Gokudera-san, you could play the part if you grew your hair and got a tan."

"You idiot!"

"Can't catch this!"

Both of them were now chortling as Haru flings her thunder knives and mimics Belphegor's 'ushishi-ing.'

"Nah, your bangs should be getting in the way when you're speaking," Gokudera rings out.

"I can get away with anything I want, shishishi~" says Haru as a crackling knife whizzes past an inch by Gokudera's left ear. "Because I'm a prince."

"Fuck your bangs!" he interjects as Haru struts around. "By the way Miura, your aim's getting better."

"Maybe. Haru can now hear things better anyway. I'm not that any better than Gamma though, but at least I can hear even your thoughts before you even speak of it."

"So you know what I'm thinking now?"

"Erm, I know you're thinking how awesome Haru-sama is! Mwahaha!"

"I'm thinking how big your ego is, idiot!"

"Hahaha, Haru-sama's kidding. She can't read minds yet."

"Whatever," he sighs and walks to the long line of antidote bottles with Haru tottering behind her. "Stop with the annoying third-person ticks. If you talk like that again I'm seriously gonna chuck you out of here permanently." He then sits down and looks at them. "Can you sit down? And stop jumping I can almost see underneath that damn dress!"

"Yessir!" she obeys and sits behind him.

"Sit beside me dammit!"

"Y-Yessorry sir!"

Gokudera inhaled long before he could say any more obscenities.

"I used to play the piano. Back when I was with the Tenth, I'd often play. I wasn't a contender for wound-tending."

"Kyoko-chan never mentioned it in her journals though."

"She didn't know. I wrote it along with many other things I never said to her after she died. Ripped them out then burned them the following year."

"But I often played to her using these," he points at them but then quickly says when he sees her eyes, "the antidote bottles. It was often a pain in the asshole to fucking pour them so they'll hit the right notes. But I hope you like it."

"Gokudera-san poured them equally again?"

"I don't have much to do when you leave for the sessions anyhoo. And you'd never notice."

She tried to stare at the glass. He struck her dumb again.

"Hope you like it," he says as his fingers began twirling around the glass lips. "You must hear them sing."

And so once she heard the tune, there was something that stirred inside her. Something familiar, something… she couldn't forget. It sounded like… the song she heard back when she realized she had a choice.

"_Then we will call you, Haru-chan! Like the flowers that used to bloom back then."_

This was the song that she remembered Kyoko humming to her before they slept. She laughed as she remembered.

"You know… Kyoko-chan often sang off-key," she laughed as he continued his performance, now dully concentrated as his fingers deftly flew across each glass, not even making a single drop spill from each bottle.

"That was one of my biggest regrets. I should've told her to stop fucking yowling," he grunts. "Brace yourself. We're almost at the good part."

"Umm Gokudera-san, what?"

"Shut your yapping. I'm concentrating?"

"Umm… hello? Gokudera-san, why are you not saying anything?"

He turned to her, his eyebrows raised. Something was definitely wrong.

"If Haru offended you about Kyoko-chan's singing, Haru's sorry. Can Haru listen to the rest…?"

_It can't be. It's too fucking soon._

Gokudera's eyes darkened as he stared at her hapless hands, attempting to reach out to him.

"Please, Gokudera-san? Can you not stop? Haru hopes to listen to more."

_Goddammit-!_

"Miura… you stupid-" he says as he stands up and runs to the door, still confused at how his heart stirs, how this heaviness suddenly descends and makes his movements sluggish, his mouth dry, his stomach painful…this feeling.

It was the same feeling he had the last time he had shared a moment with Kyoko.

"G-Gokudera-" he suddenly looks up to see Gamma standing behind the door.

"Miura…" he mutters, pointing tremulously at Haru's direction, who was still waving her arms around and calling Gokudera. When Gamma's eyes turned to her, she suddenly became still.

She finally came about and stood up. She walked slowly up to them, with Gamma's gaze watchful at her movements.

"Haru's sorry you have to see that," she then starts to guffaw as she attempts to slap his shoulder, but only manages to hit air. "But it was very beautiful. Thank you, Gokudera-san."

"It's Hayato."

Gamma looks at him. Gokudera's eyes were fixed on his feet. His fists were chained to his sides.

"Should I tell her you said that?" Gamma whispers.

"No," he murmurs. "Just- just tell her to sleep. There's a big day ahead."

Gamma gives him a sad smile as he leads her to bed.

"Gamma-san told me you want me to go to bed! Good night, Gokudera-san!" Haru says squeakily before plopping her head on the pillow.

"C-Can't she read my thoughts?" Gokudera says to Gamma, still unable to move.

"Her flames are too weak for that. Any more use of this… ESP thing will make her life shorter," Gamma says. "She told me that she wished she heard the rest."

"Tell her that I apologize."

"When she goes with me, I will."

"I owe you one."

"I never knew your first name was Hayato."

"Why would I tell you? Or that other girl?"

"It's just… surprising," Gamma says. "For you to care for her that much."

"Not like it matters. She won't be able to hear me tell her again anyway."

"Are you sure you don't want me to tell her?"

"Just tell her to stop referring to herself in third person. It pisses me off," he waves as he walks to his bed. "Leave. I'm gonna hit the sack."

"Alright…" Gamma closes the door. "Mukuro's going to initiate the escape plan in two weeks' time."

"Forget it, Gamma. You can't escape this hell hole. You know that."

"We don't know till we try. Later."

Once Gamma closed the door, Gokudera hears the quiet sniffling by his right.

He turns to his left and notices the small black notebook lying beside him. He picks up the journal and looks once more at Kyoko's handwriting. A smile of determination worms through his lips. He opens the journal and rips off a page. Then another. And another.

_As he rips off the first pages of the past he cannot forget, he has found his answer._

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p><strong>Final Final Chapter: <strong>_We kiss till we bleed. We fight till we're free. We cry till we see. We're healing and free._


	4. Final Shot

_hakaze- I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. So yeah. After almost four years of dawdling, here's the final chapter. And thanks for the extra push. :)_

_To the loyal readers who waited for this story to end, please brace yourselves. The finale is really long. And… there will be losses involved. Prepare for the plot twist I've already planted in chapter one._

* * *

><p><strong>TIRO FINALE<strong>

_We dance inside this tragedy._

**~X~**

**Future?**

It stands, that nothing is constant in this world.

It must have struck Haru's mind, once she and Gokudera set foot in the outskirts of the shopping mall she had bidden promise to return to three years ago. She stares at it in wonder. Her thoughts though, betrayed the notion once she sees a person with a tattered brown coat enveloping his or her body. The eyes were hidden in red goggles that lit up in different colors. The dark blue hair was mangled and seemed to be cut in haste. The look signified how much this world had changed since she remembered.

"From where have you come from?" there was a certain briskness in the husky yet womanly voice of the stranger who greeted them. Her tone bade them no welcome.

"The Crimson Castle," said Gokudera breezily, almost arrogantly that Haru had to elbow him sharply. This was bad.

"We came to see Timoteo-san," she adds, but the woman cuts aside and has her sights only at Gokudera.

"So you won then. Like Timoteo-sama," she says, the next sentence almost sounding like an epithet. She then takes off the goggles. Haru was aghast. The skin to her left almost looked like rotting flesh. Her eye was almost reduced to a crackly bulge.

"Where is Timoteo-san?" Haru asks again. But she didn't seem to be listening as she walks up to her partner.

"Your name," she says.

"Gokudera Hayato," he replies.

"Lal Mirch," said the girl, looking at him from head to foot. "I suppose then that you have met _them_?"

"The rulers of the castle? I have," says Gokudera. Haru was looking at them fumingly. Why the hell weren't any of them even paying attention to her?

"Where is Timoteo-san?" she tries to sound polite again. Lal Mirch didn't even twitch.

"Hmph. Judging from your appearance, you must be immune. Timoteo-sama, the clan leader here, didn't last in the end. He died two years ago. He was one of the people I met who was released, aside from you."

"Any others?"

"There's four here," said Lal Mirch, still wearing a frown. "Get inside. It's amazing how you managed to journey here. How did you find this place?"

Gokudera just looks at Haru.

"I told him, dammit!" Haru now tries to holler at her. "Hel-lo?! You shouldn't be deaf!"

"She told me," Gokudera says, thumbing at her.

Lal just looks at Gokudera's direction, and for the first time there was a look of surprise in her face.

"I thought you were an uptight kind of man. Turned out you have a funny side in you too," she moves her lips sideways, as if to smile.

Haru looks at her rather irritably, not getting the joke.

And then she understood.

**~X~**

**-Past.**

It wasn't funny.

He didn't understand why Yamamoto had to try joking about her sister's death. Of all people, why did this idiot have to fucking say she was meant to burn into his arms? Why the fuck did he say because of the fires of love? It didn't make any sense. It made no sense and yet he sat and did nothing about it.

The Tenth was watching.

"I can fry Yamamoto-kun if you want to," said his Boss, now taking a seat beside him and pouring his small glass more of the last ale.

"He's just asking for it," said Gokudera. "He probably wants me to burn him. I don't really care anymore. This is the natural order of this world. He's a goner as well. I saw the right hand and leg he's hiding with his extra clothes before he hit the sack last night. He might not make it till next year."

"It's getting to me too," said Tsuna, now looking at his cloaked body. "In a year's time, I'm afraid we have to disband."

"A shame," said Gokudera as he takes a cigarette from a passing clan mate. "Our family was one of the first ones ever founded. Your father might not have wanted this to happen."

"We can't help it. He didn't have a gene immune enough to counter this disease. Like what your mom and dad gave you," he smiled serenely.

"If you guys kick the bucket, I don't think there's a good reason enough for me to stay," Gokudera said before puffing out a cloud.

"We're just victims of chance. If we were born in the same era as our fathers, our lives would have been different. We would've done a lot of things. Seen each other have wives, kids…"

"That's quite a homely future you wanted Tenth. What about seeing the world? Achieving something beyond our wildest dreams?"

"That would be nice," Tsuna murmured. "Or maybe if I really became the Sawada Tsunayoshi from the manga our great uncle made…"

"Then we'd be living in a world where you're really a Mafia Boss… that would be really cool."

"Yeah," Tsuna just nods as he looks at the cloud-ridden sky. The Crimson Castle was visible. "It would be nice to meet my Sasagawa Kyoko or my Miura Haru."

"Who would've you chosen in the end?"

"What about you, Gokudera? Your character there had a really good time arguing with Haru."

"I was arguing with everyone!"

"Still," said Tsuna, now grinning broadly. "Wouldn't it be satisfying if you managed to end up with the person you least expected?"

**~X~**

**Present-**

Was that how love works?

Gokudera stands up and looks at a deeply slumbering Haru. That question suddenly popped into his mind then and there.

His heart didn't spark nor did he tremble in delight when her eyes gazed at her half-parted saccharine lips. It makes him wonder if the question really was directed at her.

He tries shaking it off when he steals a final glance at the window before opening the door. It was still night time. The guards usually didn't patrol this area during the night. They had many cameras to compensate. Or so they thought.

"Yo," Gamma raised a hand in greeting once Gokudera closes the door. "A good hour for a clandestine get-together, don't you think?"

"Quit the wordplay. It pisses me off," he snapped as their soft footfalls slid past the hall.

"It's a good thing you agreed though. Mukuro-san's illusions do come in handy, am I right?"

He said nothing as he looks at the cameras, silently wondering why the fuck the guards like that stupid shark didn't even think a Flame User would be clever enough to use illusions to mislead them.

"They had that mindset since they were chosen to guard the castle that we must be way below their league. It's a good thing they have a big ego. Add also that Mukuro also covers his tracks as an immune flame user like you."

"Stop the mind reading, dammit," Gokudera sighed once they stopped at the door.

Gamma knocked and he heard M.M's gruff voice again.

"Password?"

"Kufufu~ open the door, little one. This is an urgent affair," Mukuro says as the door swings open. "Come in," he says, bowing his head in respect as the two obeyed.

"I'll agree to this if you give me the complete details to your plan," Gokudera says once the door opens. He plops himself on Mukuro's armchair to M.M's outrage.

"You fucking bastard-"

"Hush, M.M. Please leave us be for a moment," Mukuro waved his hand at M.M, who hastily left but not before attempting to throw an empty antidote bottle at Gokudera's head. He winced as the glass shattered, leaving a small bump visible from his scalp.

"I'll have M.M. treat it later," said Mukuro brusquely. The place lit up immediately once he raised his trident ("Special effects," mumbled Gokudera) and a higher chair was there to cushion his hiney. Gamma now sat with the same kind of chair as Gokudera. "I know you prefer the prison light over candlelight."

"Good thing you were listening to that hag then. I thought you were a savior for show," Gokudera grunts, now unfurling the tattered pages he took from the diary and piecing them together from the middle. His scarlet flames were visible there. "I attempted to make a map from what I remembered. I haven't visited in years since. There's a thirty percent chance that they changed some areas though."

"Hmm…" Mukuro rubbed his chin as his eyes scanned the drawings earnestly. Gamma just presses his hands to the knees of his crossed legs, deep in thought.

"You already know that there are passages used by guards to fly from the Crimson Castle to locate people who committed the only mortal sin in this world: taking the life of any living thing. Now, there is a chance," Gokudera said, pointing to the bottom-most of the pages. "That the guards have blockaded the passageways accessible to us. The one below this hall- the one on the second floor and the other three floors below us. I've stolen their statistical data quite easily since it's the idiot kid or that homo in charge of our cell (the perks of being a good prisoner and having a weak flame user as a roommate). Compared to two years ago and the years before that, the number of prisoners have taken a steep decline: either it's because people are more cautious or there are just not many people to take away."

"How does that have to do with the plan?" asks Gamma.

"It just means that there's no more reason to use these passageways," Gokudera impatiently points at the three he mentioned earlier, leaving burn marks on each. "So their only way out is here," he points to the topmost part of the map, in one of the left turrets. "It's a floor below to where the real inhabitants of the Crimson Castle live."

"How did you find out about this?" Mukuro asks, smiling.

"It's a possible hunch, since I've been in that turret. Three years ago," he answered, the memories of an aged Kyoko holding his hand still playing in repeat inside his head. "It's also the least possible one to be used by the prisoners to escape, since there the elite guards- called the Millefiore- in every floor of that damn turret to defeat before you reach the place. Even if you defeat them, there's still a fat chance for you to get killed. Assassins keep watch on the clock, hiding near the entrance."

"How can we defeat them then?" said Gamma, sweat trickling from his brow.

Mukuro's smile widens.

"Kufu~ I presume you have another way then? You don't have to tell us how impossible that way out is. There _is_ another exit door, isn't it?"

Gokudera smirks as he points to the bottom-most right side of the drawings. "Not even the guards know this way exists. The only bad thing about this passageway is the lack of a ride for you to use though."

"Oh… what makes you sure that the guards have no knowledge of this?"

"I'm sure they know nothing," said Gokudera, who shreds off a blank page, rolls it and then lights it up. "I made this passageway myself. I began digging it since I landed here (using my flames, of course). It was supposed to be for my ex-roommate, but I never got to finish it since she died," he couldn't mask the melancholy from his voice. Why was he even telling them this?

"How were you never caught?"

"I killed the small fry who patrolled. It was normal back then for the likes of them to disappear. People were more rebellious during those days," Gokudera said. His memories were never hazy of the questions Kyoko kept pestering him from the dirt and blood he gets at night. Most of the time he has to burn his clothes and asks for new ones, using the excuse that he was getting mad during his first few months. After, he found out the ability he can even burn grime or blood from his clothes if he controlled the heat well enough.

"Hmm…" Mukuro thinks deeply as he looks at the map. "If so, you have a plan regarding this then?"

"I will tell you on two conditions. If you agree on these two conditions, I'll even lend you a hand in executing it."

"Kufufu~ Then tell me."

"One: You'll let Miura Haru escape with you."

"Naturally," Mukuro shrugs.

"Two: You only choose five from your circle to come with you."

By this, Mukuro raises his eyebrows.

"The second one wasn't based on a whim. There's a tendency that the passageway would cave in if more than five come with you. It was originally for two people only."

"Then do you want to be one of the five, Gokudera Hayato?" said Mukuro. "I already know the ones to escape this Hell are a chosen few. Let the rest be part of your plan then, if you want."

Gokudera merely looks at Gamma and chortles as he closes his eyes.

"Unfortunately, for you to escape, I have to be the bait. Along with a few of your comrades, they have to think we're gunning for the other escape routes. I can go for the one in one of the turrets. There is something I need to ask from the owners of this castle."

Gamma just stares at Gokudera incredulously, his throat suddenly dry.

"KUFUHAHAHAHHAA! To think-" Mukuro says, between titters. "That you would choose to satiate curiosity than escape after all these years… you are a strange man, Gokudera Hayato. A strange man indeed."

"You can be blunt and call me an idiot, pineapple bastard," Gokudera corrected, chuckling slightly.

**~X~**

**-Past.**

"UOOOOHHH! A MAN DOESN'T NEED FOOD TO SURVIVE. HE CAN RELY ON HIS SPIRIT AND HIS RESOLVE!"

Little Haru stares at him with her dead dark eyes.

"Don't mind onii-chan. He's been like that ever since mum and dad died. Here," said Kyoko as he hands her a biscuit.

Haru's hand brushes to her chest, where she hides her revolver before taking the biscuit from Kyoko's bony hand.

"What's a mum and a dad…?" she asks placidly.

"Umm… we have called them that since we were little…" said Kyoko lamely, now thinking hard.

"OOOOOOOHHH! THEY MADE LOVE AND MADE US, THEIR CHILDREN!"

"Children…" Haru echoed. His superior had called her his child. So his superior was a mum or a dad?

"Onii-chan meant that… umm… mom and dad are people who love each other so much that they made children too."

"Made… children?" Gosh, she was getting more confused. "What is… love?" She had never heard her superior use that word.

"I can't explain it, wahh! Onii-chan!"

"KYOKO! A WOMAN MUSTN'T CRY! YOU ONLY CRY WHEN YOU'RE REALLY HAPPY OR REALLY SAD! THAT IS ALL! YOU CANNOT CRY ON SIMPLE THINGS, TO THE EXTREME!"

Ryohei now patted Haru's head.

"Love is a word," his voice softens as he pats her head further. "That has many interpretations. You will one day have to find your own interpretation as you grow up."

"Onii-chan..." Haru then says in her toneless voice as she tugs his torn shirt. "What is love, to you…?"

Ryohei smiles softly at her before ruffling her hair and now looking at Kyoko.

"Well, it's when you're ok that a person is ok, even if you're really not ok."

"Onii-chan… doesn't make any sense at all," Haru said, making Ryohei roar with laughter.

**~X~**

**Present-**

The only way Haru could communicate with Gokudera was read his thoughts every six hours. Gamma had said it was the only way for her to reserve her strength for the next few weeks ahead. It doesn't help though, that each talk lasts for only two minutes.

But it does help that Gokudera has a lot to talk about.

_I decided to help Mukuro. I told him the plan last night. You'll be coming with him, along with Gamma._

"Really? That's great! You're coming too, right?"

_Yeah… I will. Man, I really want to see your clan. That Timoteo person seems nice._

"Oh but he is! I hope you get to see him. I hope we do escape. It's a good thing you're going. I hope you have fun, Gokudera-kun." _I'm sorry. _

_Yep. I'm sure it's going to be fun, Miura. I can't wait._

"Haha, if these weren't your thoughts, I wouldn't have believed I was talking to you Gokudera-kun!"

_Our time's almost up. Until later…_

"Ok!"

That time, Haru wistfully wonders if she can have a better interpretation than Kyoko's brother.

**~X~**

Gamma also notices the change in Gokudera's treatment of Miura.

"You've been nicer to her the last couple of weeks. It's supposed to be normal but from what I also hear from Miura, it's getting suspicious."

"I can't stand giving her the silent treatment though," Gokudera says as he looks at the scribbles he made from the paper he had been ripping from Kyoko's diary. "I don't want to regret treating someone well again."

Yes, the memories were getting hazy. The pain though was unbearable as ever.

"I hate to admit it, but the thought of her seeing the earth before passing away gives me strength."

"You seem to be in a better mood," noted Gamma.

"Maybe," said Gokudera, the uncertainty genuinely present in his voice. "It sucks though that I have to lie to her."

He looks at the pages and scribbles more with his forefinger. Their footsteps were the only sounds that rang from the corridor.

For Gamma, it sucks that both of his friends were liars. It sucks more, that Mukuro was a better one.

And what really, really sucks? None of them won't make it out the Crimson Castle alive.

**~X~**

"It is indeed ironic that none of them would ever leave," said Mukuro quietly. "Add to the fact that not all of us have a chance to escape."

"Yet you chose me," interjected Gamma with disdain. "Out of all your loyal followers, you had to choose the one who had the greatest doubts about you."

"Another irony, kufufu~" Mukuro cackled with delight. "But oftentimes you have to sort your feelings and reasoning. You have the likeliest chance of outliving the others by a long margin, Gamma-kun. You are aware of that."

"Is M.M. coming with you?" Gamma snorted.

"She is the only one left from the original Kokuyo Clan. Ken and Chikusa have already died in the hands of Miura. So has Chrome."

"For the sake of revenge you've gone so low-"

"It's not out of revenge!" Mukuro thunders, his voice whipping Gamma completely silent. "I do not blame that weak flame user nor that bullheaded storm for killing them. It was their choice for going to their deaths. I already asked even that foolish Miura to join us-"

"Because she thinks Gokudera would escape!"

"It will go the same way even if she finds out the truth! Or is it because… you want her to escape? With you?"

"You fucking-"

"You can tell the both of them the truth. Isn't that what friends are for, kufufu~"

"You already know I can't do that. Gokudera will back out and it would be for nothing," Gamma gnashed his teeth in frustration. He stands up. "And even if the three of us chose to escape by ourselves, I doubt you'd lift a finger to help."

"Precise as ever," Mukuro chuckled lightly. He paused before asking, "I've been wondering, Gamma-kun. Why did you chose to join me?"

"I was bored," Gamma said.

Mukuro tittered.

"And I thought you were a better man than me. That maybe I would look up to you."

"And you were wrong then?"

"I was, but not in the way you imagine. We're still two fools who can't forget our pasts."

"Kufufu, only we learned from it rather differently."

There was weariness in his voice.

"Maybe later you can tell me what you're really feeling, Mukuro-san."

Mukuro looks up, his half-closed eyes blinked for a moment before he turns at the window. His grip from the trident didn't slacken one bit as he leans to the arms of his chair.

"You're never alone, you know."

That last sentence made him look back at the door, making him wonder where that brief moment of vulnerability came from.

**~X~**

"How many members do you have in your group?" asked Gokudera.

"Thirty-eight. The membership's exclusive. I do not like sneaks, kufu," replied Mukuro twirling his hand as he crossed his legs.

"Good enough. We'll be dividing the numbers between the remaining passages. For the real one, you'll have to be on your own to not raise their suspicion."

"As you wish," Mukuro said.

"Have you made sure to provide false info to some prisoners?"

"Who do you think my comrades are? So far, none of the guards have caught wind of our operation."

"And also, the next time you conduct the meeting for your cronies, make sure to tell them to bring their antidote bottles and pierce their prison bangles too."

"Why?" asked Gamma.

"My ex roommate saw it one day while they were punishing a troublemaker. Sharkface pushed a control button and the body just ignited from his own flames. Made a couple more investigations myself and found out that this-" he hoists up his own antidote bottle. "-this just makes your body all the more flammable."

M.M. drops her bottle to her lap in horror.

"Does it apply to us too?" said Mukuro with interest.

"We're lucky it doesn't, since our body wasn't flammable to begin with," said Gokudera.

"Kufufu~ What do you intend to do with the bottles and bangles then?"

Gokudera looks at the illusionary castle Mukuro made in the middle of their castle. He raises his finger and the others present gasped as scarlet flames burst from the castle itself.

"To make Rome burn," he answered, his gleaming eyes betraying his vapid expression.

**~X~**

That last sentence took a toll on Gamma. Gokudera's cold-blooded brutality was unprecedented. He wished he could tell Gokudera that one of the victims would make him ultimately regret this plan.

"Sacrifice is necessary, Gamma," said Gokudera. "And that pineapple bastard already said they're willing to die for him."

_Including Haru._ Gamma realized the inevitability of Gokudera becoming a more diabolical villain than Mukuro ever was.

"You can say I'm doing this to cushion the blow," he said further. "And it's better this way."

He looked on ahead.

"Who does Miura remind you of?"

Gamma doesn't answer. How long was it since someone tried asking about himself? He was often the one doing the talking, even before he ever landed in the Crimson Castle. Never was he the one being talked about.

"I've just been wondering. Since the day you asked for extra blankets, I've never even had the guts to ask you. I'm sure you're a family guy, with how you act around her. Did you have a kid?"

"I did." His voice was hollow. He stopped in his tracks. By this time, Gokudera now looked at him.

He was trembling.

"Haru-chan reminded me of my daughter, Yuni. She also reminded me of the love of my life, Aria," he continued speaking mechanically.

"If you don't want to talk about it-"

"No," Gamma gave him his unfazed smile. "Maybe it's better if I told you. I had never told Haru about my past. You were the first friend I had within these crimson walls, and you might handle it better than her."

"Gamma-"

"No. It's about time I told my story. It might be the last time I'll speak to you. Don't forget the operation will begin in two days," he beckons him to his doorstep. They were just two steps nearer. He manages to control the shaking as he opens it. From there, he opens the drawers near his bed and procures a faded photograph. A sunglasses-wearing Gamma was stoically posed side-by-side with a beautiful dark-haired woman. She was cradling a small child.

Gokudera just peered at it.

""My _own _child never knew I was her father," he murmured as he carefully returns it back. "I was never even a part of the family. It was a good thing that she was the spitting image of her mother. Otherwise I- I would've been found out.

"Aria- my lover-" he hesitated at the label he called her. He sat on the bed and fit his fingers between each other. "We had an affair which was known to her family. It was necessary since her husband was sterile. The product was Yuni- my daughter. She was my roommate."

By that time, Gokudera fixed his gaze at Gamma. He seemed to be smiling so hard he forgot how to stop. The little girl with the sunny smile. How can he forget when Gamma had to face her in a Flame Charade?

"During that time, I wasn't able to truly control the progress of my disease. There were times that I was hallucinating. I imagined Aria there even though she passed on before we came here. I always imagined her. And I think it took a toll on my sanity. I do not show it when the three of us are together but when Yuni and I are alone- She looks so much like her…" He inhaled again. "I-"

Gokudera closed his eyes. There were times during Haru's erratic moments before he faced Ryohei that Haru was talking to imaginary people. It was normal.

"I did it with her. _I did it __**to**__ her, Gokudera_."

"How many times?"

"More than five. She- she- I could never look at her the same way since. She _was often smiling._ She didn't say no to everything. Never."

Gamma now bit his lip to stop himself from smiling further.

"I feel like the worst scum. I don't even deserve just the hottest place in hell for what I've done," a tear was silently rolling down his left cheek. He wipes it quickly away. "I never thought- since that time I killed my daughter- that I could ever be happy again. And then she had to prove me wrong. It scares me. It scares me everytime when we're alone. What if _it _kicks up again? What _will she think of me_? But then the more we met, the more I realized how not much different I was from her. Our pasts sucked."

"But instead of running away from it, you could learn from it," Gokudera cracks up a grin. "Just like what she did for me."

"It wasn't just Miura. We also learned to accept it by ourselves, Gokudera. No matter how hard it will be to ever pay it back."

Gokudera now leans at the wall and starts to snicker at the syrupy rightness of Gamma's words.

"I hate to say it, but couldn't have said it better than your preachy statements."

Gamma now had to look at his feet. In the end, he really couldn't help it. He has to let him dig deeper for the truths he burrowed.

"Gokudera, Mukuro's planning on leaving Haru-chan behind."

"I know, idiot."

Gamma looked at him protuberantly.

"You were looking troubled for days. Even an ostrich could tell something was up," Gokudera sat cross-legged on the other bed.

"T-Then do you have a plan B-?"

Gokudera shook his head. "I'm not that smart to think of another possible plan. You already know Mukuro doesn't tinker with the cameras there."

"Isn't the passageway secluded for us to-"

"If we don't plan this ahead, we could get caught. You already know security's tight at night around that area. Besides, she's not complaining or telling me the truth. It's her choice that she wants to die."

"And you're letting her be an idiot?" Gamma said indignantly, almost miserably.

"I doubt she can make it to that Timoteo's place. Even you know how much time she has left," Gokudera said as he procures a letter with a Dying Will on top. "Besides in three days, this will happen. Might as well suck it up till the end."

"Is that hers?"

"No," Gokudera said, blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes for good measure. "_Ours_."

**~X~**

**Future-?**

The kids' eyes from inside the mall were simply focused on him. Not her.

Even Lal Mirch was addressing her questions to him. Not her.

"You can sit here," Lal said as she pointed at two empty seats in a room that seemed to have held a dermatology clinic back in the day. Haru immediately plops into the seat while Gokudera bade his time. "I'll be fetching him and the current boss, Coyote-sama."

Gokudera simply nods as she turns at the swish of her patchy coat and walks back. Haru merely looks on at her. Gokudera merely sighs as he stares at the light.

"I now remember everything," Haru murmurs. "Even how we lost the earrings."

"Took you three days of walking for you to find out," Gokudera snorts as he closes his eyes to doze off.

"There's no need for me to stay here, is there?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Gokudera, I know-"

"Kufufu~ Fancy us seeing each other this early."

Gokudera rolled his eyes as Mukuro walked near the seat, examining him thoroughly.

He however stands at the wizened figure of Coyote Nougat. Haru notices the wrinkles and white hair has increased since the last time she saw him.

"You know each other then?" he asked.

"Will you do the honors of telling, Gokudera?" Mukuro smirks.

"Might as well. In case you _forget_ something," he said curtly.

Haru looked at Mukuro, whose gaze was set on her, with lips pursed in a smile.

"Kufufu~ I think it's better if I tell the story. You have come a long way and…" Mukuro's smile became more pronounced. "_You_ might be the one forgetting something on the way."

And with that, their tale begins. For her, it continues.

**~X~**

**Present-**

"Gokudera-kun, have you received the Flame Charade letter? I think it was addressed to you."

_It doesn't matter. Our mission begins tonight. You should begin preparing the stuff you want to bring._

"I don't think it's, umm, ok?" Haru laughs nervously. "I don't need anything."

_You might forget this then. Stay still._ With that Gokudera carefully pins the dewdrop earring on her right ear.

"What are you putting, Gokudera-kun? I'm really sorry I can't-"

_It's Kyoko's earring. I'm sure she'd want that. I'm also putting on the other. _With that, he also begins to insert it on his left ear.

"Yay! We match!"

_I'm sure she'd want us to wear it. You look… good wearing it._

"Umm I'm sure I'd say the same thing!" Haru said brightly.

Gokudera looks at her. The tears streaming from her face was flowing nonstop. He bites the inside of his cheek.

_You're crying._

"Yep, ahaha!" she tried laughing, but her mouth just couldn't handle the weight and finally gives out. "I'm sorry, it's just… I don't think I'm going to see you ever again. Mukuro-sama… S-said I c-can't come with y-you g-guys-"

He looked at her, mustering a smile invisible to her. _So that's it._

"I-I should've t-told you sooner b-but I-I- w-w-was s-s-scared…." she trails off as her sobbing got even louder. "I-I-I'm s-sorry w-wah-!"

By this time, Gokudera put a hand onto her mouth. _Can I ask you something Miura?_

She nods. Gokudera then presses his left hand on hers, and gently raises it. With his free hand, he nudges her other hand to her right shoulder before lowering his hand to her hip. He pulls her closer, his lips barely touching her nose.

_Can you listen to me for more than the two minutes? I just want to hum you the rest of the unfinished melody._

By that time, Haru began bawling in earnest. He just shakes her head and lets her head run past his shoulder. Though it began to dampen in just a few seconds, it never before had made him feel so alive as he lets her soundless voice flit to her deaf ears.

"Gokudera-kun I-"

She immediately stops crying. Her head now touches his chest. Gokudera spins her once more.

_What?_

"Nothing. It's… no longer important. Thanks for being the best roommate a stupid hag could ask for."

He after all, didn't even had any reaction when she told him she wasn't coming with him. He didn't beg her to come, nor did he volunteer to stay. It just means… that she didn't mean that much to him to even risk his life for.

To an extent, it was painful. Much more painful than how her tears could express.

It took him a long time to respond.

_And you were the best room mate I will ever have._

His one statement was enough to prove her wrong. Gokudera, after all, never lied to anyone. Including her.

**~X~**

It surprised him that he didn't need to lie as he uttered those last words to her.

Gokudera looked at the many, many pieces of papers he had rolled up like fuses in every nook and cranny of the hallways in his areas. Was it out of inspiration, from Haru's strings? He couldn't find any other explanation as he walks past them, letting the large antidote container run its contents onto the papers. He looks at the last sheet of paper from his hand. It was ironic that it bore the last entry from her diary.

_And yeah, tell Gokudera-kun I'm in love with him! Hope you don't mind._

He touches the earring with his free hand as he folds it into a paper plane and lets it fly across the hall. He prays that this time, Kyoko would hear his apologies as he lets one storm flame from the tip of the airplane ignite.

The show should begin with a bang.

**~X~**

The explosion from the inside set the other people in Haru's area to a near-panic as they frantically tried their best to break their bracelets to no avail.

Haru was one of them. She still hadn't figured out that she was put along with the weaker users in one of the passages near the underground. It was also difficult for her to communicate with the others. She wasn't able to practice focusing if more than one person was talking. She was nearly going to break down at the thought of not accomplishing anything. She tried reaching out her hand as she walked past the throngs of frantic flame users, trying to puncture their bracelet, unknowingly bruising and bleeding from their flames when-

"Haru-chan."

The tears wouldn't stop flowing as she tries to turn around to the direction of the voice. It was the voice she didn't expect to hear amidst this sea of dying flames.

"G-Gamma-san-" she hiccupped as Gamma embraced her, his lightning flames now puncturing and eventually shattering her bracelet. He then continued to let his billiard cue run past his bracelet. "Why did you stay?"

He now thrusts a piece of paper in her right hand as he slowly lets her go.

"Because you deserve better," he whispers, just in time before he heard the maniacal screams of Squalo and the rest of the guards.

"LET THESE SHITHEADS BURN!"

He then lets his right fist cruise through her stomach, as her left hand touches his cheek.

If only she could feel his tears.

**~X~**

"Squalo-san. We've succeeded in burning the bodies."

He continues to cover Haru's facedown body with his own, trying to mask her shallow breathing with his. He could still hear the moans of those who managed to wrench free their bracelets in time and merely got burns. The putrid smell of burning flesh nauseated him greatly.

His survival, after all didn't mean that the battle was over.

The footsteps of the guards clacked closer and closer. Gamma braced himself as he tries moving his body further to Haru's back.

"VOIII! WHAT ARE YOU IDIOTS WAITING FOR? STAB EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!"

Gamma's blood ran cold as he heard Squalo's voice and the unsheathing blades.

The gushing bloodspurts and the screams that echoed from the dingy hallway. Gamma let his hands extend under the remaining bodies to hide his cue.

He has to make this count.

Soon enough, he heard the heavy breathing of a guard just behind him. Suddenly, he felt the excruciating shots of pain as one, two, three- more runs of the blade rushed past him. He had to make sure to bite his lip to prevent himself from crying out. He lets the lightning flames ignite his heart to keep on beating despite the pain, the rupture- and for his hands to move the cue and protect the woman lying just below him.

He has to fight it! That sense of drowsiness. His hands and his body was growing numb. He had to make sure his nerves get to feel the pain. It was necessary. Pain was necessary for him to know he was alive. This was for Gokudera. For Haru. For. For.

For _them_.

"Squalo-san, we've killed them all."

"Voiii! Then why are you assholes looking at me? Move to where Bel is! That idiot's having a hard time on his front! Step on it, you motherfuckers!"

He waited for everyone, even if the perpetrator stabbed his throat one last time, to finally leave.

Slowly, slowly, he rolled his head and his body to prevent his blood from continuing its downpour on Haru. He slowly extended his mangled hand to touch her earring and cracking the pearl.

He cannot even breathe anymore. He wonders how Haru must have looked like right now. To see how beautiful she has blossomed from the first time he met her until his Lightning struck him blind. He regrets to not have seen her at this dear moment.

He looks up and recognizes the light. From there, he could see the smiling faces of his wife and daughter. Both were wearing the same clothes he remembered in their better days.

The two of them extend a hand at him, much to his surprise. He looks to his right, and instead of a half-dead Haru he sees the marbled floors of their home back in Italy.

_Are you real? _Gamma mouths at them. They merely look at each other and further extend their arms to him to lift him up. Their warmth finally takes hold of him. He shakes his head. Everything he had experienced, from the day Aria died seemed like such a bad dream. He then takes their hands, ready to stand, the smile now pressed to his lips.

_Well then. Time to wake up._

**~X~**

**Future?**

By the time Mukuro ended his tale and they discussed the rest, Haru finally decided to open her mouth. Only the two of them remained in that dusty room.

"What will happen now?" she asked, unable to contain the memories of what happened that time. "What are you gonna do?" She stood against the wall. Gokudera remained sitting down.

"I honestly don't know."

He remained looking at the soles of his raggedy leather shoes.

"In the first place, I never wanted to be the one left alive," he replied, smiling weakly. "And being here just gives me more questions than answers."

"What do you know," Haru snorts as she looks at her pale, translucent hand. "It makes me wonder as well. Why I'm still here." She closes her eyes. "Why I still don't let go, even when it hurts so much."

**~X~**

**Present-**

The end was nigh. Gokudera knew that, as he walked leisurely past the burning bodies he passed. The rings of the fallen were tightly clasped between his fingers.

He stopped to wipe the soot from his face once he sees his next opponent. He throws the rings to the person's face.

"Your pals weren't much trouble," he said almost indifferently as he lets his dynamite sticks ignite from his hands. "For former victors of the Flame Charades, you can't even beat one little Storm flame user?"

"Really now~" his opponent replied in a cutesy voice as he takes hold of the four rings. "I bet Zakuro-chan, Daisy-chan, Torikabuto-chan and Ghost-chan weren't prepared to meet a Storm flame user as strong as you are, Gokudera Hayato-kun~"

Gokudera gnashes his teeth. The slashes in his chest from that Zakuro was still getting to him. He throws his dynamite sticks to his next opponent, who just brushes it aside into a cloud of smoke.

"You know, I quite idolized you from the tales I heard from those guards," Gokudera said as he releases a large amount of flame that morphed into a roaring leopard. "Byakuran, the first winner of the Flame Charades. Why didn't you guys just leave?"

"The same reason most of the prisoners haven't left. Maybe it's the same reason for you too, Gokudera-kun~" Byakuran said as he continued to walk forward, letting the flames from his hand encircle his body, letting out sparks that reminded Gokudera of the fireworks his boss makes years and years ago. "There is nothing else for us to come back to."

His skin prickled. A gut feeling tells him he obviously cannot win from the power of his Sky flames.

But he knew he ought to try.

**~X~**

It was almost like an eternity when Haru finally opens her eyes and sees for the first time in a long while.

Instead of the room she remembered to where she'll see a smiling Gokudera, the body of corpses as far as her eyes could cater nearly made her sight go dull. Much more, was the body of a smiling Gamma now trying to bar her feet from standing.

"G-Gamma-san-" she hiccupped. The sound of screams and groans continued to pollute the air. By then also, aside from the sticky liquid called blood she can feel-

She holds up her hand and looks at the crumpled piece of paper, now half-soaked in Gamma's blood. She tries smoothing it to first notice Gamma's scrawl.

_It's up to you now, Haru-chan._

She looked at Gamma's corpse one more time before giving him a nod. She tries cupping the earring but feels nothing. _So that was it._

The paper was from a Flame Charade announcement addressed to Gokudera. On the back was a map of the entire castle, with names hastily scribbled in some parts. He noticed Mukuro's name just two floors below and Gokudera's name a couple of floors and a turret above.

She didn't need time to decide where she'd be going next. Quickly, she lets her forefingers touch and produce the lightning flames she had long believed she won't see again. Their light was far brighter and warmer than anything she had ever made. She smiles as she closes Gamma's eyes and prepares herself.

_Give me strength to see this through. Gamma-san. Kyoko-chan._

**~X~**

The person Haru eventually comes to search for looks at her in surprise. She was alive and, much more, well.

"Mukuro-sama," she now said as more of the castle guards buzzed and whirred their weapons at her to no avail. Instantly, she let her strings weave themselves more and more into a cocoon of reinforced lightning, just enough from letting the passageway be uncovered. "I'm staying to save Gokudera-kun."

"Kufufu~ And you came here, expecting me to help you?" Mukuro snickered as M.M now beckoned him forward.

"No, I just came to tell you that," Haru grinned. "We might not make it in time to come here, but we promise we'll escape and see you again, Mukuro-sama."

"That naivety will cost you your life, Miura Haru," Mukuro snorted as he took M.M's hand. "Then go. I'll await you below."

"Yes, Mukuro-sama!" chirped Haru, turning to face the guards and now raising her hands, as if to embrace someone. Immediately, the weaved cocoon came undone and extended up, up before the entire web covered the place. By the time the explosion from her signature move dissipated, Haru had gone.

Mukuro keeps looking the way, before letting go of M.M's hand.

"Mukuro-sama!"

"She got to me," Mukuro laughed as he steps from the hole of earth and brick. "I'm sorry M.M, but you have to go without me. Follow the others or do what you want for yourself. You are now free."

"I can't have that, Mukuro-sama. We can't have that," she replies, now pushing Mukuro back. His bejewelled eyes just stare at her. To think that she would defy her orders at such a crucial time-

"I'll go, Mukuro-sama. It's best you live, honestly. You are far more needed than you think. Take it from me," she now grins.

"Does the idea of losing me come at the cost of your own life?" Mukuro said, now extending his hand to help her out.

"I refused your offer not to die in vain, Mukuro-sama," M.M said as she leaves the passageway. "My desire to see you again exceeds my desire to die for you. And-" she presses her lips against his.

Mukuro closes his eyes as she lets go.

"I just want to tell you that," M.M said as she now takes out her clarinet. "Take care, Mukuro-sama."

"Even before Chrome and I met?" Mukuro touches his lips. "You foolish woman, kufu~"

M.M smiled before turning to follow Haru.

"Always."

**~X~**

When Gokudera had the chance to regain consciousness, the sky flames chaining his hands and feet made him think twice before letting his flames lose control.

His eyes quickly adjust to the surroundings. So far, he was in an oval room, standing in the center of a circular table. The yellow lights seemed to be coming from behind the metal chairs around the table.

There was also that irritating bubbling sound coming from behind the lights and what seemed to be cylindrical tanks. The grey skies were visible from the outside. It seemed to be early morning.

"Ciaossu, Gokudera Hayato," the sound from the chair in front of him made him jump. It turned out that something _tiny _was sitting on it. He turned around. There were seven chairs all in all. This must be it. This was the place he dreamed of being in.

The place the rulers of the castle dwelled.

The _thing_ talking to Gokudera earlier tottered up to the table, which immediately burst into light. He immediately shielded his eyes.

"Reborn," Gokudera muttered. He then heard mutterings coming from the other chairs out of disbelief.

"Oh? So you know my name? Good. That will make things simpler then," the baby wearing a fedora hat said as his dark eyes peered at his. "You already know defying this castle is futile and the only option is death."

"I am also aware," Gokudera quips. "That you cannot kill me because I am immune."

"Hmmph, the man knows too much." he heard a reedy voice scoff from behind. The baby stepping out had green hair that reminded him of canopy. He snickers.

"Be quiet, Verde. This man interests me," Reborn said.

"Kora! Know your place, Reborn! You aren't the leader! We have agreed Fon will be the one in charge until-"

"Now, now, Collonello. Let Reborn have his fun. Gokudera-kun has also piqued my curiosity," said a baby from his right, stepping out to reveal a dark-haired one donning red chinese clothes. The other baby folds his arms and reveals himself a blonde, blue-eyed army-clad sergeant.

"Show yourself, Skull and Mamon," said the baby called Fon, hiding his hands by putting his sleeves together. "Don't be rude to our unwanted guest."

"D-Don't order me around!" said a helmet-wearing baby in a high-pitched annoying voice (according to Gokudera).

"He's just a pompous brat who won't give us any profit whatsoever!" said the other baby, entirely cloaked in purple velvet.

"Well then, Gokudera Hayato. We are generally known as the castle's leaders, but you can also call us the Arcobaleno, the cursed babies who are foreigners to this world," said Fon in his slow and calm speech.

"What do you want to ask us?" Reborn asked curtly.

Gokudera looked at the tiny rulers, all most probably aware of the killings within the castle walls.

"I want to ask three questions to confirm my suspicions," he said, trying to instigate his confidence.

"Ok then. In turn, we'll also ask you three questions," said Reborn with a leer.

"I'll start then," Gokudera agreed as he tried breaking the chains, to no avail. "Where is the seventh member?"

"Oh, Luce?" said Collonello. "She died a long time ago, kora."

"All Sky Arcobalenos are cursed with a short life," said Verde, adjusting his glasses.

"I'll ask the next question then," said Reborn, putting his hands to his hips as he examined Gokudera closely. "How did you come to know about our existence?"

He took a deep breath before answering. "Twenty-six years ago, Basil, a co-founder of my clan got to meet you. He left a journal chronicling his experiences before and after you arrived."

"Oh, that snotty kid?" sniggered Skull. "He was even brave enough to ask us if we could cure him of his disease, the fool!"

"Skull, he was a good lad," said Fon before turning to Gokudera. "He asked us an array of questions. Luce tried to answer them the best that she can."

"It's my turn to ask," Gokudera said. The other Arcobalenos were coming closer to him. "What is the purpose of painting the castle with our blood?"

"_Oh that_," Verde smirked. "Nothing in particular. We just wanted to test how far your obedience would take you here. It's amazing how many would obey and believe they were just obeying orders, even when they're mutilating their own kind."

"It's better than those wars you do since you know firsthand what evil you're doing to your fellow man, kora," said Collonello darkly. "Now you know how traumatic it is to kill your fellow humans."

"You sons of bitches," Gokudera said immediately. "You f-fucking psychos, sitting pretty in your high chairs and making us-"

"You blame us, when you mechanically do what we tell you to? You could've refused, kora!" Collonello snapped back.

"Now, now, now," Fon calmly pushed Collonello back. "Reborn, continue your questions."

"Alright. Gokudera, why do you continue to exist? None of the people we have been observing so far defied fate as you had. Why, when you know once you come down, there is nothing worth coming back to?"

"Do I really need to think about that?" Gokudera beams. "Living is better than dying, no matter how you think about it."

"Pfft," Reborn snickered.

"My last question then," he now said, putting on a serious face. "What reason do you have of giving us the disease in the first place? Basil-san asked you the same question and he didn't get to write your answer in the journal. Did you come to destroy us because of our… sins? Or save us from ourselves?"

Fon was the one to answer. "Nay Gokudera-kun. We are not gods. We are just babies who want to come back home." His small smile didn't leave his face. "We needed the seven immune bodies to provide us enough fuel to return to our world."

"Sorry for interrupting, everyone~" Gokudera turned to see Byakuran now perching on one of the chairs. "Hope my chains don't hurt you too much, Gokudera-kun~" he says squinting and trying to give a cat-like expression. "Reborn, it seems like someone's coming here too. A really cute girl."

Gokudera's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. _That idiot-!_

"Hmm, don't worry about it Gokudera-kun. She's a sun flame user and not your precious Haru~" Byakuran said happily.

"Y-You bastard-" Gokudera said through gritted teeth.

"See to it that she's dead, Byakuran," Reborn said as he tilts his fedora.

"My pleasure~" he nodded and skids off.

"Now… onto the last question…" he says as he twirls the grin pistol in his hands. The tanks from below become filled with light. Gokudera lets a howl of surprise escape his lips as he sees bodies leisurely drifting, oxygen masks the only thing enabling them to breathe. He sees a dark-skinned man with feathers adorning his ears struggling in one while a child in golden-brown curls under a witch hat drifts in another. "Gokudera, what do you think will happen to you now?"

**~X~**

She ignored the burning bodies strewn in front of her as she skids on. She knew she hasn't got much time. Gokudera must be here somewhere…

"A-han, I didn't expect you to be here earlier."

She stops midway, her strings lassoing her arms as a man with flowing sea-green hair and lids donning a heavy helping of the same-colored eyeshadow comes to meet her. He bows slightly.

"My name is Kikyo. I'm one of the Millefiore elite guards who've given their lives for the Arcobalenos, the rulers of the castle."

She lowers her hands as the strings from her right hand unravels and slowly twirls to the floor.

"I'm Miura Haru. I intend to save a Gokudera who came here earlier," she said with eyes darting to the surroundings. She still hasn't seen his flames. So far, her strings could reach the right area. She can jump to it before-

"You are quite a polite girl," the man said, nodding at her in acknowledgement. "That Gokudera killed the rest without introducing himself."

"Let's just get on with it," Haru said as the lightning surged past her fingers and onto her strings. The energy she received from the earring made her flames stronger a hundredfold. She wanted to test them out, and time was taking its toll.

"Alright then. I'll make sure your life ends in the most beautiful way possible," he said giving her one last respectful bow before his hand ignited in cloud flames.

Suddenly then, she felt the ground rumble. She jumped just in time, to see the jaws of a dinosaur snap to where her feet would've been. She tries letting her flames entwine her right hand, forming a colossal spear that bathed the hall in green light. The strings also bound her feet, enabling her to run a couple of feet above ground and onto Kikyo's throat-

"Sorry, but your attack's completely predictable, Miura Haru," he sighed regrettable his his clawed hand throws her aside, sending her rocketing to the ground and baking a few bones to boot.

Her flames managed to cushion the landing in time before her head was affected. Haru immediately stands.

"Sorry, I've been getting rusty since the disease got the better of me," Haru said, flicking her fingers. The dinosaur head exploded and the flames dissipated.

"MIURA HARU!"

Haru turns around and ducks in time, before the sound of M.M's clarinet nearly got within her range and made her melt. It hit Kikyo's chest instead, sending him howling in fury.

"You idiot! Get in here!" M.M said as she finally yanks her within reach and pulls her away before three more raptors appear and sent the ceiling crashing down.

"M.M-san, you can't be-" Haru didn't get to finish her protest when M.M placed a finger to her lips.

"On my signal, you must run ahead to fetch that stupid octopus," she told him briskly. "I'll stay here to keep you covered."

"B-But M.M-san-"

"Listen to me, you stupid bitch. You don't have much time. In three seconds, that guy would recover and attempt to chop off our heads. We have to make sure that at the worst case scenario, he'd be only getting my head. Got it?"

"W-Why didn't you go with Mukuro-sama?"

"It's either me or him. Ok Miura, on my signal. One-" she now roughly pushes her to the right.

"M.M-san don't die-"

"Two- don't be stupid- THREE! GO!"

Haru made sure to embrace M.M before letting her strings envelop her body completely.

"A-han, so that's your plan!" yells Kikyo triumphantly before M.M comes from the left and lets her clarinet, now a pair of nunchucks, miss Kikyo's head by inches.

"Not that good in hand-to-hand combat are you, you flamboyant bastard?" she yelled. "I'll be your opponent!"

Haru pressed her lips together before breaking into a run to prevent herself from making a scene. She couldn't give out now, she said to herself as she runs straight ahead to the wall behind her, one fist ahead to do the talking.

SMASH! Immediately, the wind began rushing through the hall. The armor around her right arm unwinds and she lets it lasso outside. With a strong yank, she let the string claw and make contact upwards.

She figured that it was now or never. She had to look for him in every window in the turrets without getting caught. This was the only option she had. Like a grappling hook, the claws pull her in, sending her flying out in the grey clouds of the morning sky. Quickly, she then let the bindings in her left hand fly out like climbing vines out into the cracks of a brick just farther ahead before continuing to soar upwards. It was only a matter of time until-

"What a pleasant surprise, Miura Haru-chan~" said someone behind her, making her blood run cold. She hastily brandished a lightning dagger to pierce the throat of the unknown assailant only to hit nothing but air. Just a few feet above her, effortlessly standing on the scarlet walls was a grinning porcupine-haired man.

Instantly, the hairs in her hand up to her neck stood up. Her eyes narrowed. _This guy was dangerous._ She brandished more lightning strings at her left hand. The first thing she needed was to not let this guy get close to her.

"Oh, right. I'm Byakuran, the head of the Millefiore guards," he continued in a pleasant voice, grinning broadly. "I didn't sense your flames there," he holds up a ring with decorated with silver wings and a smooth white stone in the middle. "Normally, this would glow depending in the intensity of the flame user. It seems you are quite a special one, Haru-chan~"

"Out of my way," Haru said assertively, now letting the strings encase her feet to form glowing green boots. She let more of her flames cover her arms. Time was running out.

"My, my, Haru-chan. It seems Gokudera-kun's temperament's rubbing off on you. Do not worry. He's safe for now. They have no intention of exterminating him," Byakuran continued, as if discussing the weather.

Haru had to buy time. The strings under her boots were making their way through the cracks under the bricks and onto Byakuran's feet.

"I don't want to hurt you," Haru murmured. It was almost at hand. One false move from him, and the thing would explode.

"Tut, tut. Even his arrogance is getting wind of you, Haru-chan. Do not forget that I won the first Flame Charade," said he, now wagging his forefinger in a warning gesture, moving a step forward.

It was what Haru was aiming for. She moved her her left little finger and the place where Byakuran had been became shrouded in puffs of black smoke.

It was a good thing, her ears easily picked up the sound in time, but just as she raised her left arm to block the blow, the armor cracked and she felt a burst of pain as she quickly jumped back. Blood was gushing out from the stricken arm. Instantly, she let the flames cover her injury.

Byakuran was walking up to her with barely a scratch. He snapped his fingers and a spurt of flame suddenly appeared in front of her, which she evaded in time. One, two, three and more white dragons entwined in orange flames began attacking her left and right, to which she dodged as she began her descent, her boots the only source of foothold as she brandished two strings from each hand. The wind howled, stinging her face, as if bidding her to go back.

A larger dragon now flew straight at her, opening its jaws and poised to bite her head. Haru turned right to evade, letting the strings from the left go under it. The flames from her right also wrapped itself onto the dragon. She screamed as she pulled. The dragon was sliced in two.

But it wasn't over.

Another dragon surged from behind her. She ducked by a hairs breadth, but not before she felt a chill from her left. Byakuran was speaking directly to her ear, also twirling her hair almost innocently.

"Impressive, Haru-chan. Unlike Gokudera-kun, you know how not to rely on the strength of your flames alone. With that, you don't have to charge aimlessly at me. However-" she felt his hands now clawing her neck, making her cry out weakly. Her flames seemed to have no effect on him as she whipped his body almost nonstop. "-_that's not enough to beat me_," he whispered almost amorously before letting her fall under the mercy of gravity. She barely lifted a finger as she felt a fist crack her chin and sending her now flying outwards.

Byakuran was not finished. A colossal ball of Sky flames now began to form behind him as he slowly raises his arm as if to hold an invisible crystal ball.

She tries forming her woven shield to protect herself.

"Now as the strongest flame user ever born," he said, as his lifted hand curl up into a fist. "_Allow me to enlighten you._"

She caught glimpse of a large burst of light, and then knew no more.

**~X~**

It was only when she realized someone was sponging her face did she actually open her eyes and didn't believe what she was seeing.

A child, no, a baby(?) was slowly soaking her face with a yellow sponge that managed to fit its tiny hand as it hummed a peaceful tune. It was a young boy who wore red flowing robes that was a miniature version of what the traditional ones worn by older men. Her mouth, now open nearly got stuffed with a sponge that she had to cry out for him to open his eyes in surprise.

"I'm sorry, young one," he said as he jumped from her left shoulder and onto the ground. It was only then that she realized her hands were bound upwards to the ceiling, with her feet, though bound was dangling almost five feet from the white floors. "I was too enamoured with the song and nearly suffocated you. Please accept my apologies."

The idea of being younger than the dude made her shudder.

"A-Are you an Arcobaleno?" she said, trying to confirm her hunch.

"I am," the baby smiled. "I am Fon, the original holder of the Storm flames. Nice to meet you, Miura Haru."

"Y-You know who I am?"

"We have been keeping an eye on you," he said in the soothing voice that seemed to drug her. "We know all about the prisoners inside."

"S-So you know about the plan of escape…" she trailed off, secretly wondering how much a fool she had been to think they'd turn a blind eye to their grand escapade.

"Oh yes. It greatly amused us too," he said with a light chuckle, now folding his sleeves. "Not one human for twenty six years tried to escape the palace walls with an elaborate plan such as yours. It was quality entertainment while it lasted."

Somehow, the tactlessness from Fon's last statement made her shake in anger, no matter how serene his voice was.

"W-Were you also the one who made the diseases happen and wiped the majority of us out?"

Fon nodded hesitatingly.

"Why?!" WHY DID THEY HAVE TO MAKE THEM SUFFER SO MUCH?

"We needed to find what humans we can use as fuel for our castle and return back to our original world," he said as he cranes his head to look at her hate-filled eyes. "So far, we only need two more people for the Mist and Storm fuel."

"Didn't you think that a lot of people would die because of that wish of yours? D-Do you honestly think we'd be ok with that?"

"We know, Miura Haru," he said, continuing to smile serenely. "We know the consequences of wiping out this world just to get back there. Unfortunately, once you are struck, you cannot all be cured. Much more presently, since Luce, the Arcobaleno who could undo the disease has now left us."

"S-So all along-" Haru hissed.

Fon looked at her with soft, sorrowful eyes. "I'm sorry. But we really want to return back to our world. It was her wish before she died."

"Y-YOUR SORRY DOESN'T CUT SLACK, GODDAMMIT!" Haru screamed in pure fury. "NO MATTER HOW MANY SORRIES YOU GIVE, NO ONE WILL COME BACK FROM THE DEAD! I'M NOT THE ONLY FUCKING ONE WHO'S SUFFERING OUT HERE! YOUR SELFISH WISH CAN ERADICATE US COMPLETELY!" Screw it if they had sinned. It was still unfair.

"Haru, please calm down. Even you people are aware that the pain of one is the pleasure of another. You people are already doing it in every Flame Charade you go into. You know that in every battle you win, you take the chance of living for the other. It is a dichotomy that cannot be undone in every era and world we tread."

"BUT YOU FORCE US-"

"We do, but you relent," Fon said. "It just shows how selfish you humans are. No matter how noble your reasons are for living, you are still willing to rob the dreams of another to accomplish that goal."

"D-DON'T-" Haru said now both wheezing and crying at the same time as her lightning flames crackled in every cubic inch of her body. She still remained there, her head bowed and sobbing uncontrollably. He had utterly beaten her. She no longer desired to form statements and counter his words.

Fon looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry it has to end like this. The Flame Charade begins tomorrow. It will be your last shot to be free."

"What point is there… when you know you'll eventually die without achieving anything?" she said emptily, bowing her head in defeat. She already knew who she'll be facing. She already read it in that damn piece of paper Gamma gave her. So they got him then…

"If you win, you can still stay here with Byakuran and the other guards," he said with a small smile. "Until you find a place where you can belong."

"That's a cheesy way to put it," she muttered. "So in a way, you Arcobalenos are good guys too."

"It depends on the context," Fon emphasized. He then turned away. "Good night then, Haru Miura. Prepare yourself for tomorrow. Make sure you kill your opponent. It will be easy. He is… no longer the man you once knew."

And with that, he leaves her in the darkness, leaving Haru to understand the content of the last sentence he uttered.

_They brainwashed him._

**~X~**

The arena reminded her of her dreams.

It was replicated like the room she and Gokudera shared. The whiteness. The glass windows that emanated the grey animated clouds. Even his antidote bottles were reassembled and filled in painstaking detail.

She was chained to the other bed. Her opponent was covered in white sheets in the other one, looking like an ominous blob she still prayed wasn't the person she thought.

The person then sits up, and the sheet falls off him almost in slow motion.

Haru couldn't look away as she sees the ever-familiar visage of her roommate. He looked much cleaner than she had ever seen him, his hair a clean combed cut that made him look utterly girlish, and his clothes were a pristine white. The only thing different from him was his vacant expression and his iride-less eyes.

She smiles weakly as the chains disappear and Gokudera stands up, his vermilion flames forming a giant spear in his right hand. His face contorts into unbridled fury.

As she dodges his spear and releases her Lightning bolts, screaming to stifle the fear and grief, she tries to remember how she came here inside this castle in the first place. As she throws each unceasingly, aiming his heart, she also tries to remember the sacrifices she made just to go here with the possibility of dying in the arms of this deranged being.

_Oh right. I chose to go here. To find Kyoko-chan and Ryohei-niichan. _She lets her bolts be cut through by his spear, only to split further and further into strings and wrap themselves to his throat, lifting him higher and higher until he coughs and wheezes and whimpers like a trapped animal. Scarlet flames then burn and disintegrate it completely, making him land on all-fours. He snarled and roared at her in blind aggression. She readies herself for another assault.

_Then I lost the real reason I was here. But I still stayed. _Haru twirls in the air to let the flaming ropes fly in all directions. Instantly, the whole arena became her web. She then climbs on one and snaps her fingers. _I still stayed, because I met people who'd actually care about me aside from them._ She then remembered the grinning body of Gamma and Gokudera's last sentence. _Can I still…? _The entire arena bathed itself in the explosion she made. She turns. Gokudera was gingerly standing up from the damage he received, badly burned but still alive.

The smile on her face didn't leave as her flames now morphed into a long cue in her left hand and levitating billiard balls. She shot the balls at him before lunging at him fully with the cue.

He was waiting for her. He also ran, full speed ahead, and bent at piercing her heart. He howled as he continued forward.

Haru closed her eyes as she remembered the times they bickered, the times she cried over his cruel treatment, the time she found the diary and the other consequences she had to put up with in having him as his roommate. _I stayed, even though it hurt so fucking much because-_

Her eyes stung as she uttered his name, the first name she remembered to have heard in her dreams, as the possibility of collision came ever so closer. She stole one last glance at his left ear, smiling as she found what she was looking for before facing the inevitability.

In the end, she now realized why she continued to love even when it hurts so, so much more than she ever wanted it to.

"H-Hayato-kun, I l-"

**~X~**

**Past|Present|Future**

She was the last person he wanted to see.

Gokudera looked up. The cloudless sky hovered above him washing him over with a serene peace he never thought he'd ever receive. The ground was also beautiful with the different palettes that eased his eyes from getting too fed up with one color. The butterflies and birds that flew now and then was enough for him to sarcastically conclude this was it. The end of the line. The world after his.

She was there, giving out an expression that stirred the very depths of his troubled soul. After all, she was the first woman he had ever really loved.

She smiled at him, tears welling up in her eyes as she pulled him into a tight embrace. It has been a long time since he returned it.

"Mother," he croaked.

"You did well, my valiant boy," she murmured in her warm voice that somehow calmed his hammering heart.

"I missed you," he said, now pulling his mother ever so closer. "I'm so sorry it took me so long."

"I missed you as well, my child," she said. "I'm so proud of you. So very proud."

Gokudera looked at her mother's slender shoulder. Was she always this small? Had he really changed this much?

"But," he said as his grip slowly loosened and he let his mother move back. "I guess you have to wait awhile. I have to go back."

Lavina smiled at him benignly. Instantly, his father appears from behind her and moves forward to ruffle his hair.

"Then go, you little bastard," he grinned as he shoves him away. "Make sure you have plenty of stories to tell us once you return."

"And don't whine a lot. You're not a kid anymore," said his sister exasperatingly, appearing from behind his mother.

"Don't forget about us ok, Gokudera-kun?" beamed Yamamoto, who appeared behind Bianchi along with Sawada Tsunayoshi.

"Make sure you keep on living, no matter how many difficult and painful things the world hurls at you," he reminded him.

"Gokudera-kun." His heart jolts as he looks at Kyoko who suddenly appears behind his father, her face more beautiful than he remembered. "Don't forget it's fine to fall down and cry, ok?"

"Kyoko I-" he wanted to finally apologize, but Kyoko just shook her head.

"I've already forgiven you even before you gave me that finishing blow," she said reassuringly. "You should go now, else we'd want to take you back."

"Hayato," his mother said as she walked up to him and touched his face. "When you go back, life will make you question, complain, grieve, give up but remember that bad times come with the good. It's what makes us human. Your mistakes may never leave you, but it will change you. And others too. Do not ever doubt yourself for long."

He let his eyelids fall as he touched his mother's hand. It was warmer than any flame he can concoct.

"Thank you."

**~X~**

**Present-**

The last traces from his earring blew away and the light of a yellow flame enveloped his body completely. By this time, Gokudera opened his eyes, hair in disarray, clothes in tatters but otherwise, unhurt. He adjusted his eyes, only to see that familiar, contemptuous color splashed across the floor.

"What-" his words betrayed his hands as he sees the person in front of him, being held by his bloodstained hands. Her cheeks were fully swathed in tears. Her hand reached out to his face, up to his temple and attempting to cover his left eye. She tried to breathe, only to cough more blood as she tries to raise her head to his face.

"Miura…" he whispered, now biting his lip. "Please don't die on me. I'm sorry. I-"

She tried to tie up words, but she just ends up shaking her head.

He leans in closer to her, muttering the words he had long dreaded to utter, the liquid now visible and falling down to her face, like the drizzling of rain.

She just continues to stare at him, looking utterly content until her eyes could no longer see, and her chest could no longer rise. She was gone.

Gokudera clawed tightly to her clothes tightly before finally closing her eyes and also his. Only.

"OCTOPUS! MIURA- NO!"

He looks up and sees M.M, face utterly pale as she now falls down on her knees once she sees Haru.

"I-I'm too late-" she moans, wiping her face and then quickly hoisting her body up. "Quickly, you fire a hole to that damn wall, Gokudera. It will directly lead us outside. We're inside one of their damn turrets. I'll just make sure my flames are enough for us to land. WHAT ARE YOU FUCKING WAITING FOR?!" she now screams. "DO YOU WANT HARU'S SACRIFICE TO BE IN VAIN?" she then attempts to pull him out. "I FUCKING HAD TO GIVE UP EVERY LIMB JUST TO DEFEAT THOSE MILLEFIORE ASSHOLES, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING PUSSY JUST BECAUSE SHE DIED?! SHE CAME HERE TO SAVE YOUR ASS AND YOU WON'T GRANT THAT STUPID WISH OF HERS?! GET UP AND AT LEAST GIVE HER A PROPER BURIAL GODDAMMIT!"

"VOII! IT'S THEM! KILL THE WOMAN AND CAPTURE THE OTHER IDIOT!" Squalo's voice trumped from the smoke of the blast M.M made.

She gasped when Gokudera grabbed hold of her hand. "Give me your flames then. I need as much ammo as possible to burn this place sky high."

"Y-You can't fucking possibly-" M.M gasped, to which Gokudera grinned at her, looking almost like he had lost his mind.

"It will buy time for us to escape," Gokudera explained further. He then turns around, up at the imaginary windows and opens his hand. Immediately, wind attempts to suck them both in as the hole, big enough for three men becomes visible in the horizon. Gokudera immediately jumps, letting the flames from his feet make him firmly rooted to the ground.

"HURRY YOU IDIOTS, THOSE SHITHEADS ARE ESCAPING!"

Gokudera held out his hand.

"Trust me!" he hollered amidst the gale.

"WHATEVER, DAMMIT!" screamed M.M as she took his hand and firmly held onto Haru's with the other, her Sun flames spurting out from her feet. She then quickly throws Gokudera a ball of flames. He lets his own also coalesce with hers and lifts it high up, as if to pitch a ball.

"Time to strike it out," he said as he throws it to the wall near to where Squalo and the others were just about to jump out from.

And they weren't happy.

**~X~**

It was raining really hard by the time they had finished finding a rock big enough for Gokudera to carve into a gravestone. He quickly got to work, whittling it down amidst the downpour and M.M's derogatoriness over them not finding enough shade.

"They're lucky it rained," M.M huffed as she looked up at the castle. "At least those assholes aren't out to find us if we don't stamp a stupid plant. Say, how did you know the castle was flammable?"

"Our blood was flammable to begin with," Gokudera said. "Only it needed enough spark to fully ignite. Even my flames needed a boost."

"Did those rulers tell you that?" M.M asked.

"I asked them other relevant stuff. I just found it out for myself."

"Kay, whiz-kid. Just get to work already! We should find shelter before nightfall."

"I'm working as hard as I can, damn you!" he retorts as he now carves Haru's name.

"Then work harder!" said M.M testily. She then heaves as she looks to her right, where an abandoned pen for sheep stared back.

"How did you save us?"

"I volunteered to get you assholes. You left two of those Millefiore alive, so I had no choice but to beat them right? With Kikyo, you just had to compliment his gay hair long enough to pin him and make it grow long enough to strangle him. Byakuran's was harder. I had to lose my arm and my left leg," she wiggled the supposed-empty limbs. "Just for him to get a moment of weakness. He seemed to not have encountered a person with Sun flames that are strong enough to help regenerate a limb, like mine. Got him cornered in the end. I'm sure the rulers won't be happy if they find out I amplified his Sky disease, hahaha!"

"That's a relief," Gokudera sighed as he now heaved and ho-ed to lift the gravestone up on top. "So what are you gonna do now?"

"Obviously, follow Mukuro-sama," she said matter-of-factly. "What about you? Wander until you starve to death?"

"Maybe I'll go see the ruins of my old hideout," he said as he carved the last words in the gravestone. "Or find Miura's old clan and see if I can still find a home there."

"Knew you'd never want to follow Mukuro-sama," she sighed and peeked at the words Gokudera added. She laughed. "The fuck did I just read, haha!"

The rain had stopped pouring. And the two just stared up, startled at the new addition with the rainbow.

Light.

Light continued to peer from every cloud. By then, M.M's and Gokudera's mouths widened.

The ground was green again, littered with rosemaries and daisies.

"Honestly though, I can relate to what you wrote," M.M said, now dusting her clothes. "Later then," she raises her hand in farewell as she turns left.

"Tell Mukuro I'm going to kill him!"

"Like hell I would let you!" M.M screamed back before breaking into a run.

Gokudera smiled as he looked at the words.

"Gokudera-kun, can you read to me what those words mean? Whose grave is this?"

He felt a chill go down his spine as he turns around. Haru Miura was smiling brightly at him, looking right as rain. The earring was no longer present from her ear.

**~X~**

**Future?**

"I think it's about time I told you what the words were," Gokudera said as he stands beside her.

"And what do they mean?" Haru raises her eyebrow, but also using her nose to nudge Gokudera.

"You know how many times we continue loving even though a lot of people say it must hurt a lot?"

"That's a cheesy way to put it-"

"It just means that. _True love endures the hurt_," Gokudera said.

Haru looks away.

"Then you really meant what you said to me before I caught my last breath," she murmured.

Gokudera looked at her, his translucent skin getting paler and more transparent by the second. She was smiling at her in a way that reminded him of his mother. He just nodded back.

"Uhuh," he said.

"I guess we can continue it later then, the next time we see each other?" Haru said, her peals of laughter fading away along with her body.

"Maybe you'll see me there when barely a minute has passed," he said. "Just wait for me."

"I'm putting my faith in you, ok!" Haru beamed, now waving her hand as the last traces of her continued to disappear. "I'll always be watching."

"I love you, Haru."

Gokudera said those words just in time before she faded away. He sits on the empty chair, looking at his right. Did she hear it? Would he have to say it for the first time again to her someday? He sighed.

Lal Mirch came to him.

"Lunch's gonna be ready in twenty minutes. Do you want anything before that?"

Gokudera looked up at the sunlight now attempting to sift through the floorboards just above him. Looks like she must have heard him. He then looked at Lal, a kind of determination suddenly flooding to every corner of his body.

"Can I have a cigarette? It's been five years since I got a whiff."

**~X~**

**Future.**

"Are you sure about this?" Gokudera asked as he looked at the others behind him.

"Oya, Coyote and I already asked the aid of ten other clans and only now you're backing out?"

"You already know a lot of us might not make it out alive," Gokudera said, the dynamite in his hands poised.

"We are perfectly aware of that," said Coyote. "But we might as well try."

"This is the only way for me to reach out to the elders and ask why they left me out here for dead," grunted Lal.

"And then slit their throats, kufu~"

"They deserve it for deserting me," Lal said testily. "Besides, I like it here."

"Ok, fine," Gokudera said finally, lighting his dynamite sticks and tossing it onto the sky. Instantly, the others- no, his allies- no, friends, raised their fists and let out a roar. He looked up at them. "Know what, Mukuro, just give them the speech. I'm not really good at swaying people with words."

"They no longer need the words, kufufu~ They just want to go and instigate a revolution. This time, you should pave the way."

"To end bloodshed and make sure the others after us won't have to worry about getting their food. With this, we can start over," said Coyote. "Timoteo would want that. Haru Miura would want that."

"We can straighten out our mistakes," Gokudera corrected. "And Coyote-san, the only thing Miura would want is to see more flowers. Once we return, we should make rules to make sure none would get stamped on." He looks up at the castle. The clouds were already dissipating and the blue sky was peeping from the grey swirls.

The bow was radiant and as visible as ever.

"Let's go then," Gokudera said, his entire body ablaze as he beckons them up to their final battle. _Watch over me, Miura. Everyone._

For the rainbow will end.

_These broken lights, they shine on us tonight._

**WRE: FIN.  
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><p><em>Back in the summer of 2011, I was obsessed with Deadman Wonderland, especially on the part where Minatsuki and Ganta fought. It inspired me, along with Paramore's 'Turn it Off' to create this setting that was never truly established up till the end. Gamma's demise (which originally was supposed to end with him fighting Haru in a Flame Charade) and others more (Mukuro's appearance) were altered from the first plotline I conceived. I also had to add backstories of the others (e.g. Gamma, Mukuro, M.M) by the last minute! Maybe that's why Gamma's past is so, uh, appalling (He deserves another chance though! Right?). Thank goodness that I didn't get to change the ending. XD<em>

_In April, I will be posting a prequel (I don't think a sequel's already necessary) regarding to how the world ended up like this in the first place. Compared to this angsty piece, it'll be more realistic and mature with lots of mature themes I've already dropped hints regarding Giotto, Basil and Gokudera's mom and they'll be the protagonists of the story. I still wish I added the other characters in the Reborn fandom, so I might include the other characters I didn't add here to there. I will be a oneshot (I promise!) since I have other stories for KHR I want to complete and for some other fandoms too (hopefully)._

_If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! It's already 2 AM in the morning, and I spent two weeks in polishing some parts. The ending was typed in a rush because of a trip today (urk). I'll edit the other chapters once I post up the prequel. _

_Anyway, thanks a lot for reading! I hope you liked it! Even if it was, uh, dark (I miss writing stuff like this ok)._


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